On the use of response surface methodology to predict and interpret the preferred c-axis orientation of sputtered AlN thin films
✍ Scribed by J. Adamczyk; N. Horny; A. Tricoteaux; P.-Y. Jouan; M. Zadam
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 2008
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 627 KB
- Volume
- 254
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0169-4332
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✦ Synopsis
This paper deals with experimental design applied to response surface methodology (RSM) in order to determine the influence of the discharge conditions on preferred c-axis orientation of sputtered AlN thin films. The thin films have been deposited by DC reactive magnetron sputtering on Si (1 0 0) substrates. The preferred orientation was evaluated using a conventional Bragg-Brentano X-ray diffractometer (u-2u) with the CuKa radiation. We have first determined the experimental domain for 3 parameters: sputtering pressure (2-6 mTorr), discharge current (312-438 mA) and nitrogen percentage (17-33%). For the setup of the experimental design we have used a three factors Doehlert matrix which allows the use of the statistical response surface methodology (RSM) in a spherical domain. A four dimensional surface response, which represents the (0 0 0 2) peak height as a function of sputtering pressure, discharge current and nitrogen percentage, was obtained. It has been found that the main interaction affecting the preferential c-axis orientation was the pressure-nitrogen percentage interaction. It has been proved that a Box-Cox transformation is a very useful method to interpret and discuss the experimental results and leads to predictions in good agreement with experiments.