AlN thin films are enabling significant progress in modern optoelectronics, power electronics, and microelectromechanical systems. The various AlN growth methods and conditions lead to different film microstructures. In this report, phonon scattering mechanisms that impact the cross-plane (κz; along the c-axis) and in-plane (κr; parallel to the c-plane) thermal conductivities of AlN thin films prepared by various synthesis techniques are investigated. In contrast to bulk single crystal AlN with an isotropic thermal conductivity of ∼330 W/m K, a strong anisotropy in the thermal conductivity is observed in the thin films. The κz shows a strong film thickness dependence due to phonon-boundary scattering. Electron microscopy reveals the presence of grain boundaries and dislocations that limit the κr. For instance, oriented films prepared by reactive sputtering possess lateral crystalline grain sizes ranging from 20 to 40 nm that significantly lower the κr to ∼30 W/m K. Simulation results suggest that the self-heating in AlN film bulk acoustic resonators can significantly impact the power handling capability of RF filters. A device employing an oriented film as the active piezoelectric layer shows an ∼2.5× higher device peak temperature as compared to a device based on an epitaxial film.
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7 November 2022
Research Article|
November 03 2022
Growth-microstructure-thermal property relations in AlN thin films Available to Purchase
Yiwen Song
;
Yiwen Song
(Data curation, Formal analysis, Methodology, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing)
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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Chi Zhang;
Chi Zhang
(Formal analysis, Methodology, Visualization, Writing – original draft)
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota
, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
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James Spencer Lundh
;
James Spencer Lundh
(Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology)
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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Hsien-Lien Huang;
Hsien-Lien Huang
(Investigation, Methodology, Visualization, Writing – original draft)
3
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University
, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
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Yue Zheng;
Yue Zheng
(Investigation, Methodology, Software, Writing – original draft)
4
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
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Yingying Zhang;
Yingying Zhang
(Formal analysis, Investigation, Validation)
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota
, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
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Mingyo Park;
Mingyo Park
(Methodology, Resources)
4
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
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Timothy Mirabito;
Timothy Mirabito
(Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Writing – original draft)
5
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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Rossiny Beaucejour
;
Rossiny Beaucejour
(Resources)
6
Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania
, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Chris Chae;
Chris Chae
(Methodology, Visualization)
3
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University
, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
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Nathaniel McIlwaine;
Nathaniel McIlwaine
(Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Visualization)
5
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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Giovanni Esteves
;
Giovanni Esteves
(Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft)
7
Microsystems Engineering, Science and Applications (MESA), Sandia National Laboratories
, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87123, USA
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Thomas E. Beechem
;
Thomas E. Beechem
(Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Supervision, Writing – original draft)
8
School of Mechanical Engineering and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
, West Lafayette, Indiana 47904, USA
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Craig Moe
;
Craig Moe
(Investigation, Resources, Writing – original draft)
9
Akoustis, Inc.
, Canandaigua, New York 14424, USA
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Rytis Dargis;
Rytis Dargis
(Investigation, Resources, Writing – original draft)
10
IQE Plc
, Greensboro, North Carolina 27407, USA
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Jeremy Jones;
Jeremy Jones
(Resources, Writing – original draft)
11
Nitride Global Inc.
, Wichita, Kansas 67213, USA
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Jacob H. Leach;
Jacob H. Leach
(Investigation, Resources, Writing – original draft)
12
Kyma Technologies Inc.
, Raleigh, North Carolina 27617, USA
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Robert M. Lavelle;
Robert M. Lavelle
(Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Visualization)
13
Electronic Materials and Devices Department, Applied Research Laboratory
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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David W. Snyder;
David W. Snyder
(Investigation, Supervision)
13
Electronic Materials and Devices Department, Applied Research Laboratory
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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Jon-Paul Maria;
Jon-Paul Maria
(Investigation, Supervision)
5
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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Roy H. Olsson, III
;
Roy H. Olsson, III
(Conceptualization, Investigation, Resources, Supervision, Writing – original draft)
6
Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania
, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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Joan M. Redwing
;
Joan M. Redwing
(Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Supervision, Writing – original draft)
5
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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Azadeh Ansari;
Azadeh Ansari
(Conceptualization, Investigation, Resources, Validation, Writing – original draft)
4
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
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Jinwoo Hwang
;
Jinwoo Hwang
(Formal analysis, Investigation, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft)
3
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University
, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
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Xiaojia Wang
;
Xiaojia Wang
(Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft)
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota
, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
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Brian M. Foley;
Brian M. Foley
(Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Supervision)
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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Susan E. Trolier-McKinstry
;
Susan E. Trolier-McKinstry
(Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Supervision, Validation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing)
5
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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Sukwon Choi
Sukwon Choi
a)
(Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Software, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing)
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
Search for other works by this author on:
Yiwen Song
1
Chi Zhang
2
James Spencer Lundh
1
Hsien-Lien Huang
3
Yue Zheng
4
Yingying Zhang
2
Mingyo Park
4
Timothy Mirabito
5
Rossiny Beaucejour
6
Chris Chae
3
Nathaniel McIlwaine
5
Giovanni Esteves
7
Thomas E. Beechem
8
Craig Moe
9
Rytis Dargis
10
Jeremy Jones
11
Jacob H. Leach
12
Robert M. Lavelle
13
David W. Snyder
13
Jon-Paul Maria
5
Roy H. Olsson, III
6
Joan M. Redwing
5
Azadeh Ansari
4
Jinwoo Hwang
3
Xiaojia Wang
2
Brian M. Foley
1
Susan E. Trolier-McKinstry
5
Sukwon Choi
1,a)
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota
, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA
3
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University
, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
4
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA
5
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
6
Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering, University of Pennsylvania
, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
7
Microsystems Engineering, Science and Applications (MESA), Sandia National Laboratories
, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87123, USA
8
School of Mechanical Engineering and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University
, West Lafayette, Indiana 47904, USA
9
Akoustis, Inc.
, Canandaigua, New York 14424, USA
10
IQE Plc
, Greensboro, North Carolina 27407, USA
11
Nitride Global Inc.
, Wichita, Kansas 67213, USA
12
Kyma Technologies Inc.
, Raleigh, North Carolina 27617, USA
13
Electronic Materials and Devices Department, Applied Research Laboratory
, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
J. Appl. Phys. 132, 175108 (2022)
Article history
Received:
June 30 2022
Accepted:
October 08 2022
Citation
Yiwen Song, Chi Zhang, James Spencer Lundh, Hsien-Lien Huang, Yue Zheng, Yingying Zhang, Mingyo Park, Timothy Mirabito, Rossiny Beaucejour, Chris Chae, Nathaniel McIlwaine, Giovanni Esteves, Thomas E. Beechem, Craig Moe, Rytis Dargis, Jeremy Jones, Jacob H. Leach, Robert M. Lavelle, David W. Snyder, Jon-Paul Maria, Roy H. Olsson, Joan M. Redwing, Azadeh Ansari, Jinwoo Hwang, Xiaojia Wang, Brian M. Foley, Susan E. Trolier-McKinstry, Sukwon Choi; Growth-microstructure-thermal property relations in AlN thin films. J. Appl. Phys. 7 November 2022; 132 (17): 175108. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0106916
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