Pressure Sensing Properties of AlN Thin Films Sputtered at Room Temperature

Abstract

Aluminum nitride (AlN) thin films with a TiN buffer layer have been fabricated on SUS430 substrate by RF reactive magnetron sputtering at room temperature under 25~75% $N_2$ /Ar. The characterization of film properties were performed using surface profiler, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS), and pressure-voltage measurement system. The deposition rates of AlN films were decreased with increasing the $N_2$ concentration owing to lower mass of nitrogen ions than Ar. The as-deposited AlN films showed crystalline phase, and with increasing the $N_2$ concentration, the peak of AlN(100) plane and the crystallinity became weak. Any change in the preferential orientation of the as-deposited AlN films was not observed within our $N_2$ concentration range. But in the case of 50% $N_2$ /Ar condition, the peak of (002) plane, which is determinant in pressure sensing properties, appeared. XPS depth profiling of AlN/TiN/SUS430 revealed Al/N ratio was close to stoichiometric value (45:47) when deposited under 50% $N_2/Ar$ atmosphere at room temperature. The output signal voltage of AlN sensor showed a linear behavior between 26~85 mV, and the pressure-sensing sensitivity was calculated as 7 mV/MPa.