Room-temperature growth of AlN/TiN epitaxial multi-layer by laser molecular beam epitaxy

We have fabricated epitaxial AlN thin films at room temperature on sapphire (0001) substrates with a TiN (111) epitaxial buffer layer by pulsed laser deposition in ultra-high vacuum (laser molecular beam epitaxy method). The TiN buffer layers were also fabricated at room temperature. Four-circle X-ray diffraction analysis and reflection high-energy electron diffraction results indicate the heteroepitaxial structure of AlN (0001)/TiN (111)/sapphire (0001) with the epitaxial relationship of AlN [10–10]||TiN [11–2]||sapphire [11–20]. The surface of the room-temperature grown AlN film was found to be atomically flat, reflecting the nano-stepped surface of ultrasmooth sapphire substrates. Then, we could achieve the room-temperature epitaxial growth of [AlN/TiN] multi-layer. The temperature dependence of resistivity of the AlN/TiN multi-layer film was also measured.