Growth of aluminum nitride thin films on Si(111) and Si(001): Structural characteristics and development of intrinsic stresses

We have grown aluminum nitride thin films by ultrahigh vacuum reactive sputter deposition on Si(111) and Si(001) substrates. We show results of film characterization by Raman scattering, ion beam channeling, and transmission electron microscopy, which establish the occurrence of epitaxial growth of wurtzitic aluminum nitride thin films on Si(111) at temperatures above 600 °C. In contrast, microstructural characterization by transmission electron microscopy shows the formation of highly oriented polycrystalline wurtzitic aluminum nitride thin films on Si(001). Real-time substrate curvature measurements reveal the existence of large intrinsic stresses in aluminum nitride thin films grown on both Si(111) and Si(001) substrates.