Dependence of Substrate and Its Temperature on Residual Stress in AIN Films Deposited by Sputtering

Abstract

Crystal orientation and residual stress development in AIN films deposited on BLC glass and quartz substrates were investigated by an X-ray diffraction method. The deposition was made by a planar magnetron sputtering system with two facing targets under the nitrogen gas pressure of 0.39Pa in the substrate temperature range between 373K and 553K. The measurement of diffraction intensity from (00.2) plane showed that the c-axis orientation of AIN films was improved when deposited at higher substrate temperatures than 523K. Large tensile residual stresses, 0.9~1.4 GPa for the BLC substrate and 1.4 ~ 2.7 GPa for the quartz substrate, were found in the films deposited at low substrate temperatures (≦523K). Especially, the residual stress in the film on a quartz substrate showed a large increase with substrate temperature, whereas that on a BLC substrate showed a small increase. A very small stress was found in the film deposited at high substrate temperatures (>523K) for both substrates. The role of intrinsic and thermal residual stresses on resultant stress development was discussed. © 1993, The Society of Materials Science, Japan. All rights reserved.