EPITAXIAL-GROWTH OF ALUMINUM NITRIDE ON SI(111) BY REACTIVE SPUTTERING

We have studied growth of aluminum nitride (AlN) on Si(111) by ultra-high vacuum (UHV) reactive dc-magnetron sputtering under a mixture of Ar and N2 gases. As-grown films have been examined by x-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results of x-ray diffraction show texturing with AlN [0001]//Si[111]. Complementary TEM examinations observe epitaxy of AlN on Si(111), with AlN[1120BAR]//Si[220BAR]. The AlN/Si interface is sharp and flat. The lowest substrate temperature required to achieve epitaxy T(epi) has been determined to be approximately 600-degrees-C. A dislocation density in AlN film grown at 700-degrees-C has been estimated to be approximately 3 X 10(11)/cm2.