Abstract
In situ exposure of the (0001) surface of AlN thin films to flowing ammonia at 1120 °C and 10-4 Torr removes oxygenhydroxide and hydrocarbon species below the detectable limits of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and decreases the AlN ratio from 1.3 to 1.0. The positions of the Al 2p and the N 1s core level peaks acquired from the cleaned surfaces were 75.0±0.1 eV and 398.2±0.1 eV, respectively, which were similar to the values determined for the as-loaded samples. The cleaning process left unchanged the (1×1) low energy electron diffraction pattern, the step-and-terrace microstructure, and the root mean square roughness values observed for the surfaces of the as-loaded samples; i.e., the surface structure and microstructure were not changed by the high-temperature exposure to ammonia at low pressures. Vacuum annealing under 10-7 Torr at 1175 °C for 15 min removed all detectable hydrocarbons; however, it did not remove the oxygenhydroxide species.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 72-77 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A: Vacuum, Surfaces and Films |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2005 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Surfaces and Interfaces
- Surfaces, Coatings and Films