Effect of thermal processes on Al thin film in the present of nitrogen (N2) gas

Abstract

The morphology evolution of aluminum (Al) thin film in the present of Nitrogen (N2) gas has been studied. The Al thin film has been fabricated on silicon (Si) substrate using aluminum evaporation system. Then, the substrate were placed inside the furnace with the present of N2 gas for approximately 30 minutes at certain temperature range from room temperature to 700 ºC. The influence of the N2 gas to the Al thin film in furnace were characterized by optical microscope, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), I – V characterization and X- ray diffraction (XRD). It is found that, at above 600 ºC, we observed that the colour of Al thin film was changed drastically. We expect that this is because of the formation of AlN on the Si substrate. This statement is proved by the XRD and EDS characterization results. From the SEM images, we also found that the morphology of Al thin film changed drastically for the temperature above 600 ºC. In addition, the resistivity, which was evaluated from I – V characterization results, of the thin film decreased after the thermal process with N2 gas.