Compositional and morphological study of reactive ion beam deposited AlN thin films

AlN thin films were prepared on Si(1 0 0) substrates by reactive ion beam coating (RIBC). The composition and morphology of these films have been analyzed through non-Rutherford backscattering (NBS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was found that the A1/N ratio and the surface morphology depend on the deposition conditions. We also concluded that those films which are nearly stoichiometric all have smooth surfaces. When beyond stoichiometry, the surplus A1 atoms will condense to form protruding tips.