Aluminum Nitride (AlN) Sputtering Targets, Elastomer
Purity: 99.8%, Size: 1”, Thickness: 0.125”
Sputtering is a well-established technology capable of depositing thin films from a wide variety of materials onto diverse substrate shapes and sizes. The process using sputter targets is repeatable and can be scaled from small research and development projects to larger production batches. The process with sputter targets can be adapted for medium to large substrate areas. Chemical reactions may occur on the target surface, in-flight, or on the substrate, depending on the process parameters. While sputter deposition involves many variables, these parameters allow experts precise control over film growth and microstructure.
Applications of Sputtering Targets
Sputtering targets are used for film deposition. The deposition achieved by sputter targets is a method of creating thin films by sputtering, which involves eroding material from a “target” source onto a “substrate,” such as a silicon wafer. Semiconductor sputtering targets are used for etching the target. Sputter etching is chosen when a high degree of etching anisotropy is required and selectivity is not a concern.
Sputter targets are also used for analysis by etching away the target material. One example is secondary ion spectroscopy (SIMS), where the target sample is sputtered at a constant rate. As the target is sputtered, the concentration and identity of sputtered atoms are measured using mass spectrometry. With the help of the sputtering target, the composition of the target material can be determined, even detecting extremely low concentrations of impurities.
Sputtering targets also have applications in space. Sputtering is one form of space weathering, a process that alters the physical and chemical properties of airless bodies, such as asteroids and the Moon.
Aluminum nitride is a chemical compound with the formula AlN. It possesses an excellent combination of physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. High-quality AlN films have been used in various devices and sensors, including optical and optoelectronic devices. Its wide band gap (~6.2 eV), high refractive index (~2.0), and low absorption coefficient (<10−3) make AlN highly suitable for optical and optoelectronic applications. Additionally, the thermal and chemical stability of AlN films makes them appropriate for use in harsh environments.
AlN films and coatings have been grown using several methods, including pulsed laser deposition, reactive molecular beam epitaxy, vacuum arc/cathodic arc deposition, DC/RF reactive sputtering, ion beam sputtering, metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), and other techniques. Due to its simplicity, reproducibility, scalability, and lower cost, magnetron sputtering is one of the most common methods for growing AlN films for various applications.
The properties of AlN films depend on the crystal structure, crystal orientation, microstructure, and chemical composition, which in turn are influenced by deposition conditions such as sputtering power, pulse frequency, duty cycle, growth temperature, nitrogen/argon flow ratio, and sputtering gas pressure. AlN sputtering targets perform well using a reactive DC magnetron sputtering system.
