High-rate reactive sputter deposition of aluminum oxide

Abstract

Using a new reactive sputter deposition approach, we are able to consistently deposit stoichiometric Al2O3 films at a rate of 220 nm/min with±6% thickness variations across 82-mm-diam substrates. Thus a 10-μm-thick aluminum film could be deposited in 40 min. Deposition rates as high as 500 nm/min have been demonstrated. However, at these deposition rates, the voltage levels were high and the system was prone to arc during long runs. This paper describes the system and some of the properties of the films deposited at rates of ∼220 nm/min. It is shown that there is a range of experimental parameters over which the properties of films deposited at 220 nm/min show small variations.