Al2O3 Thin Films Research Articles

Manufacturing of sintered aluminum powder wicks by the liquid phase enhance sintering method for aluminum heat pipes

The aluminum heat pipes have the advantages of lightweight and low-cost, which are widely applied to space satellites. The wick is the critical component of the heat pipe which provides the capillary pressure. Unfortunately, the performance of the aluminum heat pipes is limited by the wicks, which are difficult to manufacture due to the barriers of Al2O3 thin film during the aluminum powder wicks' sintering process. To overcome this problem, a novel sintered aluminum powder wick manufactured by the liquid phase enhance sintering (LPES) technology based on element doping and vacuum sintering was proposed in this work. Considering the material compatibility between the aluminum and working fluid, the brazing powder rich in Si was chosen to be doped to promote the formation of sintered necks. The mechanism of the LPES promoted by the Si was analyzed by thermodynamic and element distribution analysis. The wick is lightweight whose density is only 22.60% and 74.26% of the densities of copper and aluminum. The wettability and capillary performance of the wicks were also studied. The results show that all the samples are superhydrophilic with the working fluids of ethanol and acetone. The sample of CS15 (coarse pure aluminum powder with 15 wt. % brazing powder) has the best wettability and capillary performance in acetone, whose infiltration time, capillary rise height, and wicking coefficient are about 69.50 ms, 106.39 mm, and 12.35 mm/s0.5, respectively. The work provides a feasible approach to manufacturing lightweight and low-cost sintered powder wicks for aluminum heat pipes.

Interface Engineering of Current Collector Using Resistive ALD-Grown Nanofilms for Fast Charging of Lithium Metal Batteries

Electrification of the transportation sector has been an important development in the global renewable energy transition. However, electric vehicle adoption has been hindered by concerns about the range from a full charge, as well as opposition to hours-long charging times. Thus, more energy-dense batteries that can withstand aggressive fast charging conditions are essential to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. While lithium-ion batteries have been the staple for rechargeable products, including electric vehicles, they are approaching their theoretical energy density limits. Lithium metal batteries (LMB) present a solution to concerns about vehicle range since Li metal plates directly onto the Cu current collector, drastically improving the energy density.Commercialization of the LMB has been limited due to a variety of degradation mechanisms, including the formation of high surface area filamentary lithium deposits, known as dendrites, at the anode and capacity loss due to repairing the fractured solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Under fast charging conditions, the formation of dendrites is exacerbated because 1. high current densities pin the anode to high potentials, supporting the formation of small, high surface area lithium deposits and 2. entering the Sand’s time regime (when Li+ concentrations at the electrode drop to zero) confines Li plating to the tips of Li deposits. Additionally, fast charging conditions exacerbate the breakdown of the SEI by intensifying ion concentrations at low impedance fractures in the SEI.In our work, we aim to make LMBs viable for fast charging conditions by growing resistive Al2O3 thin films via atomic layer deposition (ALD) on the Cu current collector using TMA and water. The deposited thin films, although resistive, contain defects of low resistance which serve as the sites of Li nucleation. These nucleation sites then act like ultramicroelectrodes and encourage radial diffusion of Li+,which in turn leads to the formation of low surface area, dense, planar Li deposits. Dense and low surface area Li morphology is known to be favorable as it reduces Li corrosion, as well as SEI fracturing due to volume expansion. ALD ensures the thickness is precisely varied to identify the thin film resistance at which favorable Li deposition morphology and SEI quality are best conserved under fast charging conditions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results show that despite high current densities pinning the anode to high potentials, low surface area Li deposition morphology is preserved at current densities up to 20 mA/cm2 . Additionally, the resistive films slow down electron transfer to delay the onset of Sand’s time. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) also shows that the Al2O3 thin films promote higher incorporation of anionic species into the SEI than the bare Cu current collector control under fast charging conditions, a difference that we attribute to the presence of acidic sites on the Al2O3. Anion-derived SEIs are more homogeneous, strong, and robust. Collectively, these improvements in the SEI and Li properties lead to cells made with the Al2O3-coated current collectors having enhanced performance, including Coulombic efficiencies of >80% for three times as many charge/discharge cycles as the control at 5 mA/cm2.

Optimization of the deposited Al2O3 thin film process by RS-ALD and edge passivation applications for half-solar cells

Al2O3 film process experiments were conducted utilizing atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology to optimize the process conditions for rotating-space type ALD Al2O3 thin films, which were then applied to edge passivation of tunneling oxide (TOPCon) solar cells. The composition of the films was characterised using XPS, the thickness and refractive index were measured using ellipsometry, the surface morphology was examined using AFM, and the passivation impact of the alumina films was assessed using a minority carrier lifetime meter. High-quality Al2O3 films were formed on silicon wafers at a temperature of 200 °C and a rotational speed of 60 rpm utilizing trimethylaluminum (TMA) and water as precursors. In this setting, the Al2O3 film deposition rate was 0.12 nm/s, surface roughness was 0.883 nm, and minority carrier lifetime was 189.6μs. And, under these conditions, edge passivation of solar cells resulted in the greatest enhancement, with a 0.123 % increase in cell efficiency and a 3.78W increase in module power.

Comparing post-deposition and post-metallization annealing treatments on Al2O3/GaN capacitors for different metal gates

Vertical Metal–Insulator–Semiconductor (MIS) capacitors with an Al2O3 thin film as a gate insulator have been fabricated on homoepitaxial GaN-on-GaN samples. The effect of the annealing treatments on the MIS characteristics has been investigated exploring two different approaches: Post-insulator-Deposition-Annealing (PDA) and Post-gate-Metallization-Annealing (PMA), i.e., annealing on the bare Al2O3 layer and annealing after the gate metallization deposition on Al2O3. The direct comparison between PDA and PMA is crucial to understand the impact of the metal/dielectric interface quality on the behavior of the Al2O3/GaN MIS capacitors. The efficacy of annealing has been monitored as a function of metal gates having different work functions: nickel (Ni), molybdenum (Mo), and tantalum (Ta). It has been found that both PDA and PMA approaches are equally able to improve the Al2O3/GaN interface electrical quality. However, the PMA demonstrates an additional beneficial effect on the metal/Al2O3 interface. In particular, the possible chemical reactions activated by the annealing process at the metal/dielectric interface can perturb the known metal/dielectric dipole responsible for Fermi-level pinning phenomena, causing a positive shift of the flat voltage (VFB), which depends on the metal, and approaching the theoretical value in the case of Mo and Ta.

Low-loss and low-temperature Al2O3 thin films for integrated photonics and optical coatings

Amorphous aluminum oxide (Al2O3) is a key material in optical coatings due to its notable properties, including a broad transparency window (ultraviolet to mid-infrared) and excellent durability. Moreover, its higher refractive index contrast relative to silica cladding layers and high solubility of rare-earth ions make it well suited for optical waveguides and the development of various functionalities in integrated photonics. In many coatings and integrated photonics applications, the substrates are temperature and stress sensitive, while relatively thick (∼1 μm) alumina layers are required; thus, it is crucial to fabricate low optical loss alumina thin films at low deposition temperatures, while maintaining high deposition rates. In this study, plasma-assisted reactive magnetron sputtering, operated in an alternating current mode, is investigated as a reliable, straightforward, and wafer-scale compatible technique for the deposition of high optical quality and uniform Al2O3 thin films at low temperature. One-micrometer-thick amorphous Al2O3 planar waveguides, deposited at 150 °C and a rate of 23.3 nm/min, exhibit optical losses below 1 dB/cm at 638 nm and as low as 0.1 dB/cm in the conventional optical communication band.

On the reduction of gas permeation through the glass windows of micromachined vapor cells using Al2O3 coatings

Stability and precision of atomic devices are closely tied to the quality and stability of the internal atmosphere of the atomic vapor cells on which they rely. Such an atmosphere can be stabilized by building the cell with low permeation materials such as sapphire or aluminosilicate glass in microfabricated devices. Recently, we have shown that permeation barriers made of Al2O3 thin-film coatings deposited on standard borosilicate glass could be an alternative for buffer gas pressure stabilization. In this study, we, hence, investigate how helium permeation is influenced by the thickness, ranging from 5 to 40 nm, of such Al2O3 thin films coated by atomic layer deposition. Permeation rates are derived from long-term measurements of the pressure-shifted transition frequency of a coherent population trapping (CPT) atomic clock. From thicknesses of 20 nm onward, a significant enhancement of the cell hermeticity is experienced, corresponding to two orders of magnitude lower helium permeation rate. In addition, we test cesium vapor cells filled with neon as a buffer gas and whose windows are coated with 20 nm of Al2O3. As for helium, the permeation rate of neon is significantly reduced, thanks to alumina coatings, leading to a fractional frequency stability of 4×10−12 at 1 day when the cell is used in a CPT clock. These features outperform the typical performances of uncoated Cs–Ne borosilicate cells and highlight the significance of Al2O3 coatings for buffer gas pressure stabilization.

Interface state density in mist chemical vapor deposited Al2O3/AlGaN/GaN structure

Uniform thickness Al2O3 thin films have been deposited by eco-friendly mist CVD. The obtained Al2O3 film has an optical band gap value of more than 6.5 eV and a refractive index of 1.64 at 633 nm. The combination of capacitance–voltage (C–V) fitting method with non-linear least-squares algorithm, frequency dispersion, photo-assisted, and proposed reverse bias-assisted C–V methods revealed interface state densities ranging from 1 × 1012 to 3 × 1013 cm−2eV−1 along the mist-Al2O3/AlGaN interface. These values are comparable to those reported for atomic layer deposited Al2O3 thin films.

Effect of substrates on the structural, surface chemical state, and optical properties of Ga-doped Al2O3 thin films

We report the stabilization of Ga-doped Al2O3 (GaAlO) thin films into rhombohedral structure (R 3‾ c space group). We used the target material of composition A11.5Ga0.5O3 (bulk) to deposit the films on Alumina (0001) and p-type Si (100) substrates by using the electron beam evaporation technique. X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the formation of polycrystalline rhombohedral structure for the as-grown films on Alumina substrate, whereas the films grown on Si substrate showed amorphous structure. The post-heat treatment of as-grown films at 550 °C stabilized rhombohedral structure in all the films, irrespective of the substrates. X-ray photoelectron spectra confirmed modification in surface chemical state of the films depending on nature of the substrates. Optical bandgap of the GaAlO films was stabilized in the range of 3.44 eV–4.04 eV, which is substantially reduced in comparison to corundum structured α-Al2O3 having optical band gap in the range of 8–9 eV and α-Ga2O3 having optical band gap of 4.5–5.5 eV. The defect-induced electronic states and substrate induced interfacial diffusion contributed additional energy gap in the range of 1.50–2.92 eV for GaAlO films grown on Si substrate. The development of highly crystalline corundum structured α-(Al, Ga)2O3 alloyed thin films and engineering their band gap energy in a wide range (1.5–4 eV) is useful for applications of semiconductor metal oxides in high power and medium frequency opto-electronic devices.

Simulation Study of Crystalline Al2O3 Thin Films Prepared at Low Temperatures: Effect of Deposition Temperature and Biasing Voltage

In this paper, classical molecular dynamics simulations were used to explore the impact of deposition temperature and bias voltage on the growth of Al2O3 thin films through magnetron sputtering. Ion energy distributions were derived from plasma mass spectrometer measurements. The fluxes of deposited particles (Ar+, Al+, and O−) were categorized into low, medium, and high energies, and the results show that the films are dominated by amorphous Al2O3 at low incident energies without applying bias. As the deposition temperature increased, the crystallinity of the films also increased, with the crystals predominantly consisting of γ-Al2O3. The crystal content of the deposited films increased when biased with −20 V compared to when no bias was applied. Crystalline films were successfully obtained at a deposition temperature of 773 K with a −20 V bias. When biased with −40 V, crystals could be obtained at a lower deposition temperature of 573 K. Increasing the bias enables the particles to have higher energy to overcome the nucleation barrier of the crystallization process, leading to a greater degree of film crystallization. At this stage, the average bond length between Al-O is measured to be approximately 1.89 Å to 1.91 Å, closely resembling that of the crystal.

Preparation of Al2O3 thin films by RS-ALD and edge passivation application for TOPCon half solar cells

A rotary spatial atomic layer deposition (RS-ALD) method is proposed for the preparation of high-quality Al2O3 thin films and its application to the edge passivation of tunnel-oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) half solar cells. The high- quality Al2O3 thin films were prepared on silicon wafers by optimizing the process conditions with a process pressure of 4 Torr and a trimethylaluminum (TMA, (CH3)3Al) flow rate of 300 sccm. The Al2O3 thin films were annealed to analyse the transformation of the film crystal structure, surface morphology, and passivation properties. Compared to the half solar cells without edge passivation, the efficiency of the cell with only deposited Al2O3 increased by 0.098 %, and the module power increased by 3.08 W. The efficiency of the cell with deposited Al2O3 + annealing increased by a further 0.021–0.119 %, and the module power increased by a further 0.68–3.76 W.

Research on the improvement of the adhesion strength of the Cu films deposited on the Al2O3 films

Due to the significant discrepancy in the coefficient of linear thermal expansion between Cu and ceramic in T-type thin film thermocouples, the Cu thin films often exhibit a low adhesion strength with the ceramic layers (Al2O3). In order to improve the adhesion strength of the Cu with the Al2O3 films, several methods during preparation were studied. First, different thicknesses of the Cu thin films deposited at different deposition temperatures on the Al2O3 thin films prepared by the magnetron sputtering were studied. Second, the Ti/Ni buffer layer between the Cu and the Al2O3 thin films was prepared. Finally, the average roughness of Al2O3 was studied. The adhesion strength of the Cu with the Al2O3 thin films, the microstructure of the surface and the cross section of the Cu and the Al2O3 thin films, and the grain size and the roughness of the films are characterized by nanoscratch testing, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The adhesion strength of the Cu films with the Al2O3 films increases with an increase in the thickness of the Cu thin films and the roughness of the Al2O3 thin films and the addition of the Ti/Ni buffer layers.

Growth rate of AL2O3 Thin Film by Liquid Phase Deposition as an Anti-reflection Coating Layer on Crystalline Silicon for Solar Cell Applications

The fabrication of photovoltaic (PV) device requires that surface reflectance of solar cells has to be minimized to achieve higher photo-conversion efficiency (PCE). Antireflection coating layer is deposited on the surface of a p-type crystalline silicon material to reduce the surface reflections of solar radiation and increase its absorption for efficient solar cell application. In this work, aluminum oxide thin film by liquid phase deposition (LPD-Al2O­3) is synthesized from combined solution of aluminum sulfate octadecahydrate (Al2(SO4)3·18H2­O) and sodium carbonate (NaHCO3) with pH of 3.1. Some samples of p-type (100) crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafers of resistivity 1 – 10 mΩ were immersed inside the growth liquid of LPD-Al2O­3 thin film for 1hr – 2.5 hours. This is followed by annealing the samples at a temperature of 450oC, the deposition rate is faster in the range 1 – 1.5 hours is about 35nm/hr. As the growth time increases, the growth rate of the film decreases and remains nearly constant at about 10 nm/hour at 1 – 2 hours. When the growth time exceeds 2 hours, the film thickness remains unchanged showing that the liquid has lost in growth ability. The weighted average reflection (%) of planar c-Si is reduced from 44.9 % to 29.6 % after deposition of the LPD-Al2O­3 for 2.5 hours growth time, indicating a 34.1 % reduction in reflection within wavelength region of 300–1100 nm. While the root means square (RMS) surface roughness of 36.5 nm was also recorded at the highest growth time of 2.5 hours. This shows the effect of thicker LPD-Al2O­3 thin film layer increases the anti-reflecting coating property of the material.

Growth rate of AL2O3 Thin Film by Liquid Phase Deposition as an Anti-reflection Coating Layer on Crystalline Silicon for Solar Cell Applications

The fabrication of photovoltaic (PV) device requires that surface reflectance of solar cells has to be minimized to achieve higher photo-conversion efficiency (PCE). Antireflection coating layer is deposited on the surface of a p-type crystalline silicon material to reduce the surface reflections of solar radiation and increase its absorption for efficient solar cell application. In this work, aluminum oxide thin film by liquid phase deposition (LPD-Al2O­3) is synthesized from combined solution of aluminum sulfate octadecahydrate (Al2(SO4)3·18H2­O) and sodium carbonate (NaHCO3) with pH of 3.1. Some samples of p-type (100) crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafers of resistivity 1 – 10 mΩ were immersed inside the growth liquid of LPD-Al2O­3 thin film for 1hr – 2.5 hours. This is followed by annealing the samples at a temperature of 450oC, the deposition rate is faster in the range 1 – 1.5 hours is about 35nm/hr. As the growth time increases, the growth rate of the film decreases and remains nearly constant at about 10 nm/hour at 1 – 2 hours. When the growth time exceeds 2 hours, the film thickness remains unchanged showing that the liquid has lost in growth ability. The weighted average reflection (%) of planar c-Si is reduced from 44.9 % to 29.6 % after deposition of the LPD-Al2O­3 for 2.5 hours growth time, indicating a 34.1 % reduction in reflection within wavelength region of 300–1100 nm. While the root means square (RMS) surface roughness of 36.5 nm was also recorded at the highest growth time of 2.5 hours. This shows the effect of thicker LPD-Al2O­3 thin film layer increases the anti-reflecting coating property of the material.

Comparative Study of Plasma-Enhanced-Atomic-Layer-Deposited Al2O3/HfO2/SiO2 and HfO2/Al2O3/SiO2 Trilayers for Ultraviolet Laser Applications.

High-performance thin films combining large optical bandgap Al2O3 and high refractive index HfO2 are excellent components for constructing the next generation of laser systems with enhanced output power. However, the growth of low-defect plasma-enhanced-atomic-layer-deposited (PEALD) Al2O3 for high-power laser applications and its combination with HfO2 and SiO2 materials commonly used in high-power laser thin films still face challenges, such as how to minimize defects, especially interface defects. In this work, substrate-layer interface defects in Al2O3 single-layer thin films, layer-layer interface defects in Al2O3-based bilayer and trilayer thin films, and their effects on the laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) were investigated via capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements. The experimental results show that by optimizing the deposition parameters, specifically the deposition temperature, precursor exposure time, and plasma oxygen exposure time, Al2O3 thin films with low defect density and high LIDT can be obtained. Two trilayer anti-reflection (AR) thin film structures, Al2O3/HfO2/SiO2 and HfO2/Al2O3/SiO2, were then prepared and compared. The trilayer AR thin film with Al2O3/HfO2/SiO2 structure exhibits a lower interface defect density, better interface bonding performance, and an increase in LIDT by approximately 2.8 times. We believe these results provide guidance for the control of interface defects and the design of thin film structures and will benefit many thin film optics for laser applications.

Electrochemical characterization of localized corrosion mechanism of ALD Al2O3-coated copper for microelectronic application

To achieve performance and reliability in microelectronics devices, copper interconnections must be protected from aggressive environment during the manufacturing process and throughout the life of the devices. Atomic Layer Deposition Al2O3 thin films has been used as a compatible layer with key integration process steps, as well as being corrosion-resistant in neutral media. However, electrochemical tests in aggressive environment have revealed that the alumina prematurely failed to protect copper from localized corrosion. In this study, local and global electrochemical techniques have been employed to evaluate the reactivity of copper at multiple scales and to elucidate the underlying corrosion mechanisms.

Exploring TMA and H2O Flow Rate Effects on Al2O3 Thin Film Deposition by Thermal ALD: Insights from Zero-Dimensional Modeling

This study investigates the impact of vapour-phase precursor flow rates—specifically those of trimethylaluminum (TMA) and deionized water (H2O)—on the deposition of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) thin films through atomic layer deposition (ALD). It explores how these flow rates influence film growth kinetics and surface reactions, which are critical components of the ALD process. The research combines experimental techniques with a zero-dimensional theoretical model, designed specifically to simulate the deposition dynamics. This model integrates factors such as surface reactions and gas partial pressures within the ALD chamber. Experimentally, Al2O3 films were deposited at varied TMA and H2O flow rates, with system conductance guiding these rates across different temperature settings. Film properties were rigorously assessed using optical reflectance methods and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. The experimental findings revealed a pronounced correlation between precursor flow rates and film growth. Specifically, at 150 °C, film thickness reached saturation at a TMA flow rate of 60 sccm, while at 200 °C, thickness peaked and then declined with increasing TMA flow above this rate. Notably, higher temperatures generally resulted in thinner films due to increased desorption rates, whereas higher water flow rates consistently produced thicker films, emphasizing the critical role of water vapour in facilitating surface reactions. This integrative approach not only deepens the understanding of deposition mechanics, particularly highlighting how variations in precursor flow rates distinctly affect the process, but also significantly advances operational parameters for ALD. These insights are invaluable for enhancing the application of ALD technologies across diverse sectors, including microelectronics, photovoltaics, and biomedical coatings, effectively bridging the gap between theoretical predictions and empirical results.

Bilateral Production Shield Enabling Highly Efficient Perovskite Photovoltaics.

Enhancing the intrinsic stability of perovskite and through encapsulation to isolate water, oxygen, and UV-induced decomposition are currently common and most effective strategies in perovskite solar cells. Here, the atomic layer deposition process is employed to deposit a nanoscale (≈100nm), uniform, and dense Al2O3 film on the front side of perovskite devices, effectively isolating them from the erosion caused by water and oxygen in the humid air. Simultaneously, nanoscale (≈100nm) TiO2 films are also deposited on the glass surface to efficiently filter out the ultraviolet (UV) light in the light source, which induces degradation in perovskite. Ultimately, throughthe collaborative effects of both aspects, the stability of the devices is significantly improved under conditions of humid air and illumination. As a result, after storing the devices in ambient air for 1000h, the efficiency only declines to 95%, and even after 662h of UV exposure, the efficiency remains at 88%, far surpassing the performance of comparison devices. These results strongly indicate that the adopted Al2O3 and TiO2 thin films play a significant role in enhancing the stability of perovskite solar cells, demonstrating substantial potential for widespread industrial applications.

Curtailing the Ambient Air Ageing Effect on Mechanical Properties of Vacuum Evaporated Al2O3 Thin Films Using Vapor Chopping Technique

Here, we studied the 30-day ambient air exposed vacuum evaporated Al2O3 thin films. The ageing effect on mechanical properties like intrinsic stress as well as adhesion was studied. Vapor chopping technique (VCT) was used during deposition. To find ageing effect in vapor chopped (VC) and as deposited i.e. nonchopped (NC) Al2O3 thin films comparative study was done. VC and NC Al2O3 thin films’ X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns remain the same even after 30 days ageing, i.e., no structural variation was found due to ageing. Adhesion degradation was observed in deposited films i.e. NC films showed reduction from 266±5×103 to 189±5×103 N/m2 whereas VC thin films showed 355±5×103 to 332±5×103 N/m2. Intrinsic stress increased from 41±2×107 to 61±2×107 N/m2 in NC and 31±2×107 to 39±2×107 N/m2 in VC Al2O3 thin films. Even though, overall VC films showed higher adhesion and smaller intrinsic stress than NC Al2O3 thin films i.e., curtailing ambient air ageing effect in VC thin films was perceptible.

Analysis of Current-Voltage Properties of Al/p-si Schottky Diode with Aluminium Oxide Layer

In our study, the effects of the metal oxide (aluminum oxide, Al2O3) thin film placed between the metal and the semiconductor on the diode's characteristics were investigated. The Al2O3 thin film was suitable for its growth on a p-type silicon substrate by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. In this study, a diode structure with an oxide interlayer was fabricated. To investigate the electrical parameters of the fabricated Schottky diode, measurements of current-voltage (I-V) were carried out at room temperature and in the 5 V voltage range. Using the I-V measurements, diode parameters such as the barrier height (Φb), the ideality factor (n), and the current density (I0) were evaluated using the theory of thermionic emission (TE) and Cheung's method. Using the TE method and Cheung’s method, the approximate values of Φb, n parameters were calculated as 0.77 eV, 5.43, and 0.77 Ev, 5.97, respectively. According to calculations, the developed Schottky diode is a rectifier diode and has been determined to have photodiode properties. This research offers an understanding of the production and electrical characteristics of Schottky devices based on Al2O3.

Reducing two-level systems dissipations in 3D superconducting niobium resonators by atomic layer deposition and high temperature heat treatment

Superconducting qubits have arisen as a leading technology platform for quantum computing, which is on the verge of revolutionizing the world's calculation capacities. Nonetheless, the fabrication of computationally reliable qubit circuits requires increasing the quantum coherence lifetimes, which are predominantly limited by the dissipations of two-level system defects present in the thin superconducting film and the adjacent dielectric regions. In this paper, we demonstrate the reduction of two-level system losses in three-dimensional superconducting radio frequency niobium resonators by atomic layer deposition of a 10 nm aluminum oxide Al2O3 thin films, followed by a high vacuum heat treatment at 650 °C for few hours. By probing the effect of several heat treatments on Al2O3-coated niobium samples by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy plus scanning and conventional high resolution transmission electron microscopy coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy, we witness a dissolution of niobium native oxides and the modification of the Al2O3-Nb interface, which correlates with the enhancement of the quality factor at low fields of two 1.3 GHz niobium cavities coated with 10 nm of Al2O3.