Cubic AlN with high thermal stabilities in TiN/AlN multilayers

Abstract In this paper, the thermal study of a TiN/AlN superlattice was reported. The TiN/AlN superlattice was prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering. And the thermal stability was evaluated by X-ray diffraction measurement and TEM observation after annealing treatments. It was confirmed that the AlN layers with a thickness of 1 nm in TiN/AlN superlattice could keep a cubic crystalline structure up to 1000 °C for at least 540 min. Even the annealing treatment at 1100 °C for 30 min did not cause phase transformation from cubic AlN to hexagonal wurtzite AlN, demonstrating the high thermal stability of cubic AlN with a small thickness in TiN/AlN superlattice.