Formation, characterization, and application of sputtered Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and gamma-Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ thin films

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6942868

Chen, G L

One reason to study Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ film formation is that it may be used as an insulating layer of a thin film inductive transducer for magnetic recording. Another reason is that Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ could serve as an effective replacement of SiO/sub 2/ as a gate insulation in MOSFET's (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor devices). RF diode sputtering is used as the method of forming Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ and ..gamma..-Fe/sub 2/O/sub 3/ thin films. The effects of oxygen partial pressure, substrate bias, substrate spacing, and residual gas, etc. on the formation of oxide thin films were characterized by x-ray diffraction, SEM, STEM, TEM, ellipsometry, alpha-step scan, EDX, AES, XPS, capacitance bridge, and VSM (Vibrating Sample Magnetometer). It was found that Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ films sputtered at 400 watts RF power, 10 mtorr total gas pressure, and 6.35 cm target-to-substrate spacing will exhibit the optimum physical properties under the condition of -40 VRF substrate bias and 1 x 10/sup -4/ torr oxygen partial pressure. The effects of oxygen partial pressure and substrate bias are found to be the most important factors in determining the properties of sputtered oxide films.

• Research Organization: Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6942868
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph. D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
THIN FILMS
IRON OXIDES
MOSFET
CATHODE SPUTTERING
OXYGEN
PARTIAL PRESSURE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SUBSTRATES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTS
FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS
FILMS
IRON COMPOUNDS
MOS TRANSISTORS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SPUTTERING
TRANSISTORS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
420800* - Engineering- Electronic Circuits & Devices- (-1989)
360201 - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Preparation & Fabrication