Growth properties of AlN films on sapphire substrates by reactive sputtering

Aluminum nitride (AlN) films were grown on sapphire substrates by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering in plasma containing a mixture of argon and nitrogen, using a pure aluminum target. The effect of RF power was investigated with respect to growth rate, surface roughness, and transmittance of AlN films. As the RF power increases, the growth rate increases and the root mean square of surface roughness decreases while the absorption edge shifts to longer wavelength. This shift is believed to be due to the defects induced by ion bombardment. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.