[Effects of Temperature on the Preparation of Al/Zn3N2 Thin Films Using Magnetron Reactive Sputtering]

The effects of substrate temperature on the plasma active species were investigated by plasma optical emission spectroscopy. With increasing substrate temperature, the characteristic spectroscopy intensity of the first positive series of N2* (B(3)Πg-->A(3)Σu(+)), the second positive N2* (C(3)Πu-->B(3)Πg), the first negative series N2(+)* (B(2)Σu(+)-->X(2)Σg(+)) and Zn* are increased. Due to the substrate temperature, each ion kinetic energy is increased and the collision ionization intensified in the chamber. That leading to plasma ion density increase. These phenomenons's show that the substrate temperature raises in a certain range was conducive to zinc nitride thin films growth. Zn3N2 thin films were prepared on Al films using ion sources-assisted magnetron sputtering deposition method. The degree of crystalline of the films was examined with X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that has a dominant peak located at 34.359° in room temperature, which was corresponding to the (321) plane of cubic anti-bixbyite zinc nitride structure (JCPDS Card No35-0762). When the substrate temperature was 100 °C, in addition to the (321) reflection, more diffraction peaks appeared corresponding to the (222), (400) and (600) planes, which were located at 31.756°, 36.620° and 56.612° respectively. When the substrate temperature was 200 °C, in addition to the (321), (222), (400) and (600) reflection, more new diffraction peaks also appeared corresponding to the (411), (332), (431) and (622) planes, which were located at 39.070, 43.179°, 47.004° and 62.561° respectively. These results show the film crystalline increased gradually with raise the substrate temperature. XP-1 profilometer were used to analyze the thickness of the Zn3N2 films. The Zn3N2 films deposited on Al films in mixture gas plasma had a deposition rate of 2.0, 2.2, and 2.7 nm · min(-1). These results indicate that the deposition rate was gradually enhanced as substrate temperature increased. Field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed that the particles of zinc nitride thin films became smaller but more uniform and density with increase the substrate temperature. The Zn3N2 thin films were strongly bound on the Al films. The experiments of films properties analysis results about the substrate temperature were consistent with the results of the plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The results would help improving the preparation of magnetron sputtering technique and getting better Zn3N2 thin films. On the other hand, the results were reflected that the plasma emission spectrum was fast and effective method to analyze the intrinsic characteristics of plasma.