Nanoindentation Study of AlN Thin Films Deposited on Sapphire and ITO/GLASS Substrates

Abstract:

Aluminum nitride (AlN) is a semiconductor material with interesting properties for optoelectronic applications. In the present research, layers of amorphous AlN were deposited by reactive sputtering at low temperature (RT and 100 °C) on sapphire and ITO-glass. The surface morphology of the films was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The Young’s modulus and hardness of the thin films were measured by nanoindentation using a Berkovich nanoindenter operating with continuous stiffness measurement (CSM) technique. The influence of temperature, nature of the substrate and radiofrequency power applied to the Al target (P_Al) on the nanomechanical properties has been assessed. Numerous pop-in events were found in the films deposited onto ITO-glass, while very few were observed for those grown onto sapphire, corroborating the influence of the substrate on the mechanical performance of the films. Both E and H increase with increasing P_Al, ascribed to the increase in film thickness, and with increasing the modulus of the substrate, while decrease with increasing temperature. Results obtained herein corroborate that the mechanical properties of these films can be tailored by modifying the substrate nature and the deposition parameters, which is interesting from an application point of view.

• Periodical: Advances in Science and Technology (Volume 180)
• Pages: 9-14
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-N5qlPF
• Online since: July 2026
• Authors: Miriam Cadenas, S. Valdueza-Felip, Fernando B. Naranjo, Ana M. Diez-Pascual*
• Keywords: AlN Thin Films, Hardness, Nanoindentation, SEM Images, Young´s Modulus

References

[1] J. Millan, P. Godignon, X. Perpina, A. Perez-Tomas and J. Rebollo: IEEE Trans. Power Electron. Vol. 29 (2014), p.2155–2163.

[2] O. Ambacher: J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. Vol 31 (1998), p.2653.

[3] T. Matsutani, M. Kiuchi, K. Shirouzu, A. Yoshioka, R. Shimizu and S. Takahashi: Solid State Phenom. Vol 107 (2005), p.43

[4] L. Yate, J. C. Caicedo, A. H. Macias, F. J. Espinoza-Beltrán, G. Zambrano, J. and P. Prieto: Surf. Coat. Technol. Vol 203 (2009), p.1904–1907.

[5] S.R. Jian, G. J. Chen and T. C. Lin: Nanoscale Res. Lett. Vol 5 (2010), p.935–940

[6] S.R. Jian, G. J. Chen and Y. Y. Liao: Thin Solid Films Vol 517 (2009), p.4883–4887.

[7] S.K. Wang, T.-C. Lin, S.-R. Jian, J.-Y. Juang and J.-Y. Tseng: Appl. Surf. Sci. Vol 258 (2011), p.1261–1266

[8] A.M. Diez-Pascual, M. A. Gomez-Fatou, F. Ania and A. Flores: Prog. Mater. Sci. Vol 67 (2015), pp.1-94.

[9] Sung T. H., Huang J. C., Hsu J. H., and Jian S. R.: Appl. Phys. Lett. Vol 97 (2010), p.171904.

[10] M. Cadenas, M. Sun, S. Fernández, S. Valdueza-Felip, A. M. Diez-Pascual and F. B. Naranjo: Micromachines Vol 16 (2025), 993.

DOI: 10.3390/mi16090993

[11] Monteagudo-Lerma, L.; Valdueza-Felip, S.; Núñez-Cascajero, A.; González-Herráez, M.; Monroy, E. and Naranjo, F.B.: Thin Solid Films Vol 545 (2013), pp.149-153.

DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.07.062

[12] L. Xiaodong and B. Bhushan: Mater. Charact. Vol 48 (2002), pp.11-36.

[13] M. Mazur: Appl. Surf. Sci. Vol 570 (2021), 151151.

[14] E. Besozzi, D. Dellasega, V. Russo, C. Conti, M. Passoni and M. G. Beghi: Mater. Des. Vol 165 (2019), 107565.

DOI: 10.1016/j.matdes.2018.107565

[15] W.C. Oliver and G. M. Pharr, J. Mater. Res. Vol 19 (2004), pp.3-20.

[16] D. de Faoite: J. Mater. Sci. Vol 47 (2012), pp.4211-4235.

[17] J.E. Bradby, J.S. Williams and M.V. Swain: J. Mater. Res. Vol 19 (2004), 380.

[18] C.A. Schuh and A. C. Lund, J. Mater. Res. Vol 19 (2004), p.2152–2158.

[19] T.G Nieh, C Schuh, J Wadsworth and Yi Li: Intermetallics Vol 10 (2002), pp.1177-1182

[20] N. Boughrara, Z. Benzarti, A. Khalfallah, J.C. Oliveira, M. Evaristo and A. Cavaleiro: Mater. Sci. Semicond. Proc. Vol 141 (2022), p.107023.

[21] R. Saha and W. D. Nix: Acta Mater. Vol 50 (2002), pp.23-38.

[22] C. Mo, J. Zhao and D. Zhang: Rock Mech. Rock Eng. Vol 55 (2022), p.4403–4422.