Aluminium nitride films on glass

Purpose of this work is to realize AlN films with preferred crystal orientation on a magnetron sputtering system at different pressure values, in particular towards low-pressure gas discharge operative range, where few data are available in literature. In this respect, explored operative pressures have been 0.07 and 0.12 Pa, together with the more common values of 0.3 and 0.7 Pa. Reactive Ar-N₂ mixtures (50%-50% and 0%-100%) and a DC-pulsed power supply have been used, and films have been deposited on glass substrate. Films thicknesses have been measured with surface profiler, and XRD analyses have been performed. Experimental data are presented; the best results with respect to adhesion, deposition rate and film crystallinity with the same deposition time have been obtained with mixtures 50% Ar - 50% N₂ at 0.12 and 0.3 Pa.