Properties of inductively coupled N2 plasma processed AlInN thin film prepared by post annealing of rf sputtered Al/InN stack

Abstract

InN is a potential material for low cost tandem solar cells and its combination with Si could make the cell conversion efficiency over 30%. Doping into InN is a promising method which alters the properties of InN thin film. In this work, InN thin film was deposited on Si substrate and the doping was achieved by stacking Al elemental layer on InN thin film followed by annealing process. The doped InN (AlInN) thin film was characterized and confirmed the formation of (002) and (103) oriented phases. The prepared AlInN thin film was plasma processed using Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) in presence of N2 gas and the surface and structural properties was modified. The N2 plasma was influenced the preferred orientation of AlInN thin film and their structural parameters such as crystallite size, strain and dislocation density noticeably. Very smooth surface (<4 nm) with small particle size (97 nm) of AlInN thin film was achieved for 15 sccm flow rate during the plasma process. Very low value in leakage current was confirmed for AlInN thin film processed at 15 sccm N2 flow by current-voltage (IV) characteristics.