Characterisation of aluminium nitride layers formed directly by 700-800 keV 15N2+ implantation into aluminium

Accelerated 15N2+ ions were implanted into polycrystal and single-crystal, Al sheets with fluences of 8*1016-1.2*1018 N+ cm-2. The depth profiles of the implanted 15N were measured by 15N(p, alpha gamma )12C and 15N(p, alpha 0)12C nuclear reactions. A change in the depth profile of the implanted 15N significant recovery of the damaged Al lattice were not observed even after annealing above 400 degrees C over a wide range of implantation dose. In the case of low-dose implantation, channelling analysis combined with nuclear reaction analysis showed that the implanted 15N was located near the tetrahedral interstitial site in the FCC Al lattice, while for high-dose hot implantation ordered structures were not observed. Direct evidence for AlN formation was obtained by ESCA. Measurements of electrical capacitance and DC resistance for the 15N2+-implanted Al sheets were also performed.