Antioxidation properties of Ti0.83Al0.17N prepared using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition

Abstract

The high-temperature antioxidation behavior of Ti0.83Al0.17N prepared using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) with TiCl4, AICl(3), N-2/H-2/Ar, and NH3/H-2/Ar radicals were studied. One cycle for depositing Ti0.83Al0.17N consisted of eight TiN cycles followed by two AlN cycles. After forming a 30-nm-thick Ti0.83Al0.17N film, the film was oxidized in ambient O-2 at 650degreesC for 30 min. The Ti0.83Al0.17N thin film showed good oxidation-resistance properties as compared with the pure TiN film prepared by PEALD. This is attributed to the Al2O3 layer formed on the surface of the Ti0.83Al0.17N. The Al2O3 layer serves as a barrier to oxygen diffusion, and protects the remaining nitride layer from being oxidized further. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.