Ultraviolet optical properties of aluminum fluoride thin films deposited by atomic layer deposition

作者:Hennessy John*; Jewell April D; Balasubramanian Kunjithapatham; Nikzad Shouleh
来源:Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces and Films , 2016, 34(1): 01A120.
DOI:10.1116/1.4935450

摘要

Aluminum fluoride (AlF3) is a low refractive index material with promising optical applications for ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths. An atomic layer deposition process using trimethylaluminum and anhydrous hydrogen fluoride has been developed for the deposition of AlF3 at substrate temperatures between 100 and 200 degrees C. This low temperature process has resulted in thin films with UV-optical properties that have been characterized by ellipsometric and reflection/transmission measurements at wavelengths down to 200 nm. The optical loss for 93 nm thick films deposited at 100 degrees C was measured to be less than 0.2% from visible wavelengths down to 200 nm, and additional microstructural characterization demonstrates that the films are amorphous with moderate tensile stress of 42-105MPa as deposited on silicon substrates. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis shows no signature of residual aluminum oxide components making these films good candidates for a variety of applications at even shorter UV wavelengths.

  • 出版日期2016-1