Fabrication of Al2O3 films using aerosol deposition method and their characterization

Abstract

An aerosol deposition method (ADM) apparatus is newly designed and fabricated. Heat-dried-alumina (Al2O3) particles of an average diameter of ∼500 nm with narrow dispersion were used as starting materials. These were mixed with N2 carrier gas, and formed a colloiding aerosol. These were accelerated to several hundred m/s through a fixed narrow slit nozzle, and ejected to the substrate. The Al2O3 film was deposited by scanning the substrate with 125 μm/s at room temperature. The deposited Al2O3 films were highly transparent. It is confirmed that there was no primary but crushed particles in the film. Roughness of thin film with 1 μm thick was approximately 22 nm. It is expected that highly dense Al2O3 films could be deposited. Deposition on other materials is also available at room temperature. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.