In Situ EELS and TEM Observation of Al Implanted with Nitrogen Ions

Formation processes of Aluminum nitride (AlN) in Aluminum (Al) implanted with nitrogen were examined by in situ EELS and TEM observations during nitrogen ion implantation in an electron microscope at room temperature and 400 °C. AlN phase was identified both by EDP and EELS after nitrogen ion implantation to 6 × 10 20 (N + )/m 2 . The observed peak (20.8 eV) in EELS spectra was identified as the plasmon loss peak of AlN formed in Al. The binding energy of N 1s in Al was found to shift by about 4 eV to the lower side with increasing nitrogen-ion fluence. Unreacted Al was also found to remain in the AlN films after high fluence implantation both at room temperature and 400 °C