Specific Process Knowledge/Thin film deposition/ALD Picosun R200/AZO deposition using ALD

From LabAdviser


AZO can be deposited in a temperature window 150 - 250 oC. Physical and optical properties are strongly corelated with deposition temperture and Al doping concentration. All results shown on this page have been obtained using the Si(100) wafers with native oxide as substrates:


Al-doped ZnO (AZO) deposition overview

The deposition rate for AZO depends on the temperature, see the ALD-window graph below. The uniformity, thickness, refractive index has been obtained using Ellipsometer VASE.


  • ALD-schematics for AZO deposition.
    ALD-schematics for AZO deposition.
  • Schematic drawing of deposited AZO layers and concept illustration of doping "D" number/level 05, 10, 15, 20,etc.
    Schematic drawing of deposited AZO layers and concept illustration of doping "D" number/level 05, 10, 15, 20,etc.
  • Growth-per-cycle rate. Deposition rates of Al2O3 and ZnO are illustrated as straight lines for comparison.
    Growth-per-cycle rate. Deposition rates of Al2O3 and ZnO are illustrated as straight lines for comparison.

Al-doped ZnO (AZO) standard recipes

Recipe: AZO 20T

(Number 20 means doping level "D": 19 cycles of ZnO + 1 cycle Al2O3, see details in the table below)===

Maximum deposition thickness: 100 nm

Temperature: 150 oC - 250 oC

# macrocycles N
# cycles 19 1
Precursor DEZ DEZ H2O H2O TMA TMA H2O H2O
Nitrogen flow 150 sccm 150 sccm 200 sccm 200 sccm 150 sccm 150 sccm 200 sccm 200 sccm
Pulse time 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s
Purge time 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s

How to fill out the process log in LabManager:

The pulse time for each precursor equals the total pulse time times the number of cycles in each macrocycle.

DEZ pulse time: (0.1 + 0.1) s * 19 = 3.8 s

TMA pulse time: (0.1 + 0.1 )s * 1 = 0.2 s

H2O pulse time: [(0.1 + 0.1) s * 19] + [(0.1 + 0.1) s * 1] = 4.0 s

The number of cycles for each precursor now equals the number of macrocycles (n).


Recipe: AZO 25T

Number 25 means doping level "D": 14 cycles of ZnO + 1 cycle Al2O3, see details in the table below)

Maximum deposition thickness: 100 nm

Temperature: 150 oC - 250 oC

# macrocycles N
# cycles 24 1
Precursor DEZ DEZ H2O H2O TMA TMA H2O H2O
Nitrogen flow 150 sccm 150 sccm 200 sccm 200 sccm 150 sccm 150 sccm 200 sccm 200 sccm
Pulse time 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s
Purge time 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s

How to fill out the process log in LabManager:

The pulse time for each precursor equals the total pulse time times the number of cycles in each macrocycle.

DEZ pulse time: (0.1 + 0.1) s * 24 = 4.8 s

TMA pulse time: (0.1 + 0.1 )s * 1 = 0.2 s

H2O pulse time: [(0.1 + 0.1) s * 24] + [(0.1 + 0.1) s * 1] = 5.0 s

The number of cycles for each precursor now equals the number of macrocycles (n).


Recipe: AZO 30T

(Number 30 means doping level "D": 29 cycles of ZnO + 1 cycle Al2O3, see details in the table below)

Maximum deposition thickness: 100 nm

Temperature: 150 oC - 250 oC

# macrocycles N
# cycles 29 1
Precursor DEZ DEZ H2O H2O TMA TMA H2O H2O
Nitrogen flow 150 sccm 150 sccm 200 sccm 200 sccm 150 sccm 150 sccm 200 sccm 200 sccm
Pulse time 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s
Purge time 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s

How to fill out the process log in LabManager:

The pulse time for each precursor equals the total pulse time times the number of cycles in each macrocycle.

DEZ pulse time: (0.1 + 0.1) s * 29 = 5.8 s

TMA pulse time: (0.1 + 0.1 )s * 1 = 0.2 s

H2O pulse time: [(0.1 + 0.1) s * 29] + [(0.1 + 0.1) s * 1] = 6.0 s

The number of cycles for each precursor now equals the number of macrocycles (n).


Recipe: AZO 35T

(Number 35 means doping level "D": 34 cycles of ZnO + 1 cycle Al2O3, see details in the table below)

Maximum deposition thickness: 100 nm

Temperature: 150 oC - 250 oC

# macrocycles N
# cycles 34 1
Precursor DEZ DEZ H2O H2O TMA TMA H2O H2O
Nitrogen flow 150 sccm 150 sccm 200 sccm 200 sccm 150 sccm 150 sccm 200 sccm 200 sccm
Pulse time 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s 0.1 s
Purge time 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s 0.5 s 20.0 s

How to fill out the process log in LabManager:

The pulse time for each precursor equals the total pulse time times the number of cycles in each macrocycle.

DEZ pulse time: (0.1 + 0.1) s * 34 = 6.8 s

TMA pulse time: (0.1 + 0.1 )s * 1 = 0.2 s

H2O pulse time: [(0.1 + 0.1) s * 34] + [(0.1 + 0.1) s * 1] = 7.0 s

The number of cycles for each precursor now equals the number of macrocycles (n).

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