NUCLEATION AND FILM GROWTH IN PHOTOCHEMICAL VAPOR-DEPOSITION OF ALUMINUM THIN-FILM USING DIMETHYLALUMINUM HYDRIDE

In the deposition of aluminum thin films on silicon oxide via a photochemical surface reaction of dimethylaluminum hydride (DMAH) induced by a deuterium lamp, the initial nucleation period was independent of gas pressure and became shorter with increasing UV intensity,whereas the rate of subsequent film growth on underlying aluminum layers increased with gas pressure, but it became independent of UV intensity and growth continued even without irradiation. We concluded that on the substrate surface photodissociation of adsorbates took place more slowly than adsorption of DMAH, while on growing aluminum layers the thermal decomposition of source molecules was dominant.