Structural investigation of high‐transmittance aluminum oxynitride films deposited by ion beam sputtering

Aluminum oxynitride films were deposited by ion beam sputtering technique at room temperature. The optical properties and morphologies of the aluminum oxynitride films were studied and reported previously. It was found that the optical properties are closely related to the O contents in the films. In this study, the structures of the films were investigated by X‐ray diffractometer and XPS. Three oxidation states of N_1s in oxynitride films, N⁺, N²⁺ and N³⁺, were clearly deduced from N_1s spectra in the amorphous films fabricated under various oxygen partial pressures (P_O2). To our knowledge, three oxidation states of N_1s have not been simultaneously observed and reported in the aluminum oxynitride films previously. Corresponding bonding variations in Al_2p and O_1s spectra indicated more oxygen in oxynitride in the film as P_O2 increases. Three aluminum oxynitride networks, AlO₂N, AlO_2.5N and AlO₃N were deduced. Optical properties of aluminum oxynitride films resemble those of AlN and Al₂O₃ films when P_O2 is low and high during the deposition. The refractive indices and extinction coefficients of the aluminum oxynitride films can be adjusted by using proper P_O2 during the film depositions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.