Specific Process Knowledge/Thin film deposition/Deposition of Alumina

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Deposition of aluminium oxide

Aluminium oxide (Alumina, Al₂O₃ ) can be deposited by use of ALD (atomic layer deposition) or by a sputter technique in the Lesker Sputter System or the Cryofox PVD co-sputter/evaporation. During the sputter deposition oxygen is added to the chamber resulting in aluminium oxide on the sample

• Al₂O₃ deposition using ALD
• Lesker Sputter System
• Cryofox PVD co-sputter/evaporation

Comparison of the methods for deposition of Alumium Oxide

	Sputter System Lesker	Cryofox PVD co-sputter/evaporation	ALD Picosun 200
Generel description	RF sputtering from Al2O3 target Reactive Sputtering (never tested)	Reactive Sputtering	ALD (atomic layer deposition) of Al2O3
Stoichiometry	Not tested	Not tested	Al2O3, very good
Film Thickness	0nm - 200nm	0nm - 200nm	0nm - 100nm
Deposition rate	0,3nm/min	Not tested	0.88 - 0.97 nm/cycle (Using the "Al2O3" recipe, temperature dependent)
Step coverage	unknown	Very good	Very good. Covers sample everywhere (but long purge time needed for very high aspect ratio structures)
Process Temperature	Up to 450oC	Up to 400oC	150oC - 350oC:
More info on Al2O3		-	Al2O3 deposition using ALD
Substrate size	chips 1x 100 mm wafer 1x 150 mm wafer	100 mm wafers (Up to 12 wafers at a time) 150 mm wafers (Up to 4 wafers at a time)	1-5 100 mm wafers 1-5 150 mm wafers Several smaller samples
Allowed materials	almost any	Silicon Silicon oxide, silicon nitride Quartz/fused silica Photoresist PMMA Mylar SU-8 Any metals	Silicon Silicon oxide, silicon nitride Quartz/fused silica Al, Al2O3 Ti, TiO2 Other metals (use dedicated carrier wafer) III-V materials (use dedicated carrier wafer) Polymers (depending on the melting point/deposition temperature, use carrier wafer)