Optical properties of cubic AlN films grown by sputtering

Abstract

Cubic aluminium nitride (AlN) films were deposited on stainless steel substrate by reactive balanced magnetron sputtering. The film was studied for its optical properties using spectroscopic ellipsometry technique. A maximum band gap of 5·52±0·26 eV was obtained for the deposited film. The maximum value of refractive index measured in the wavelength range of 300–1100 nm was 1·9–2·15. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction of the film showed formation of (200) oriented cubic AlN.