Thickness and Resistivity Study of AlN Thin Film on Silicon Wafer Prepared by Reactive HiPIMS

We explored the potential of the HiPIMS technique to deposit a uniform AlN thin film on a standard 2-inch Si wafer, emphasizing its future utility in manufacturing. The deposition process yielded an AlN thin film with consistent thickness, measuring 176.2 ± 2.4 nm, aligning with the uniform reflectance spectrum observed through ellipsometry analysis. The thickness was further substantiated by cross-sectional images obtained via FESEM. In terms of electrical properties, measurements from eight distinct wafer sections revealed an average resistivity of 2.29 Ohms.cm, with a calculated average sheet resistance of 1.14 x 10
⁵
Ohms/Sq. These results underscore the high electrical resistivity of the AlN thin film, while emphasizing its uniformity across the entire 2-inch wafer. These findings highlight the distinctive capabilities of the HiPIMS technique and its potential for producing uniform thin films.