A Process-Structure Investigation of Aluminum Oxide and Oxycarbide Thin Films prepared by Direct Liquid Injection CVD of Dimethylaluminum Isopropoxide (DMAI)

Abstract

We present the direct liquid injectionCVDof aluminum oxide and oxycarbide thin films using dimethylaluminum isopropoxide at high process temperature (500–700 8C) with the addition ofO2 gas, and at low temperature (150–300 8C) with the addition of H2O vapor. Very smooth films with typical roughness values lower than 2 nm are obtained. The thin films are composed of an amorphous material. The composition evolves as a function of temperature from that of a partial hydroxide to a stoichiometric oxide at low deposition temperature(150–300 8C), and from that of a stoichiometric oxide to a mixture of an oxide with an(oxy)carbide at higher temperature (500–700 8C).