Structure, electrical conductivity and Hall Effect of amorphous Al–C–N thin films

• Published in: Thin solid films 2010-09, Vol.518 (23), p.7038-7043
• Main Authors: Luo, Q.H., Lu, Y.H., Lou, Y.Z., Wang, Y.B., Yu, D.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Al content; Aluminum; Al–C–N thin films; Bonding; Carbon-carbon composites; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition; Deposition by sputtering; Electrical properties of specific thin films; Electrical resistance; Electrical resistivity; Electron and ion emission by liquids and solids; impact phenomena; Electronic structure and electrical properties of surfaces, interfaces, thin films and low-dimensional structures; Electronic transport phenomena in thin films and low-dimensional structures; Exact sciences and technology; Field emission, ionization, evaporation, and desorption; Hall Effect; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Resistivity; Silicon substrates; Structure; Thin films
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2010.07.053

A series of Al–C–N thin films with different Al contents were deposited on Si (100) substrates by closed field unbalanced reactive magnetron sputtering in the mixture of argon and nitrogen gases. Their phase configurations and structures were subsequently investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy measurement, cross-sectional field emission scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, while their electrical conductivities and Hall Effects were studied by physical property measurement system. The results indicated that all deposited Al–C–N thin films were amorphous. There were three bonds, C–N, C–C and Al–N, in Al–C–N thin films irrespective of Al content. Increase of Al content increased the amount of Al–N bonding at the cost of that of C–C bonding. Higher Al content led to less sp 2 C–C bonding. The films with low Al content were essentially P-type semiconductor. Increase of Al content increased the electrical resistance, making the film gradually transform to insulation, which was attributed to increase of band gap. Hall coefficient was increased with increase of Al content, which was contributed to decrease in concentration and mobility of hole in the films.