Development of amorphous AlN thin films on ITO-glass and ITO-PET at low temperatures by RF sputtering

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is a material of wide interest in the optoelectronics and high-power electronics industry. The deposition of AlN thin films at elevated temperatures is a well-established process, but its implementation on flexible substrates with conductive oxides, such as ITO-glass or ITO-PE...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Cadenas Arroyo, Miriam, Sun Hu, Michael|||0000-0001-7105-4784, Fernández Ruano, Susana María, Valdueza Felip, Sirona|||0000-0003-1817-5354, Díez Pascual, Ana María|||0000-0001-7405-2354, Naranjo Vega, Fernando Bernabé|||0000-0002-2119-6749
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)
Repositorio:e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcalá
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ebuah.uah.es:10017/66801
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10017/66801
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/mi16090993
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:AlN thin films
Reactive sputtering
Flexible electronics
Optoelectronic devices
Electrónica
Electronics
Descripción
Sumario:Aluminum nitride (AlN) is a material of wide interest in the optoelectronics and high-power electronics industry. The deposition of AlN thin films at elevated temperatures is a well-established process, but its implementation on flexible substrates with conductive oxides, such as ITO-glass or ITO-PET, poses challenges due to the thermal degradation of these materials. In this work, the deposition and characterization of AlN thin films by reactive sputtering at a low temperature (RT and 100 °C) on ITO-glass and ITO-PET substrates are presented. The structural, optical, and electrical properties of the samples have been analysed as a function of the sputtering power and the deposition temperature. XRD analysis revealed the absence of peaks of crystalline AlN, indicative of the formation of an amorphous phase. EDX measurements performed on the ITO-glass substrate with a radiofrequency power applied to the Al target of 175 W confirmed the presence of Al and N, corroborating the deposition of AlN. SEM analyses showed the formation of homogeneous and compact layers, and transmission optical measurements revealed a bandgap of around 5.82 eV, depending on the deposition conditions. Electrical resistivity measurements indicated an insulating character. Overall, these findings confirm the potential of amorphous AlN for applications in flexible optoelectronic devices.