Nucleation and Growth Study of Al₂O₃ Film Fabricated Through Atomic Layer Deposition on Pet Substrate

The optical parameters and compactness of ultrathin film on flexible substrates are important for the encapsulation of photoelectric devices. However, guaranteeing optical properties in inorganic films on flexible organic substrates proves challenging due to temperature sensitivity. Here, ultrathin Al <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> O <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</inf> films on Si, glass, and flexible PET substrates are fabricated using atomic layer deposition (ALD). Films on PET displayed infiltration and nucleation during initial growth, while those on glass experienced nucleation delay. Examining plasma pretreatment and post-treatment effects on refractive index and transmittance in ultra-thin Al <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> O <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</inf> films on flexible substrates, O <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> plasma-assisted ALD exhibited a high refractive index, excellent uniformity, and robust mechanical flexibility. This makes it a promising choice for encapsulation layers in flexible electronics.