Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Aluminum Oxide Thin Films by Plasma Immersion Lattice Target Sputtering Method

Water-repellent films are used in cameras and sensors for a variety of applications, such as antifouling and cleaning properties. The conventional coating methods have several problems. In this study, we propose a new sputtering method, plasma immersion lattice target sputtering (PILTS), to fabricate the films with highly durable and water-repellent. Aluminum oxide thin films were prepared on Si (100) substrates using the PILTS method, and the contact angle and surface morphology of the films were evaluated. Moreover, we carried out the surface modification by etching. As a result, an aluminum oxide thin film with a contact angle of 152° was successfully obtained by the PILTS method.