Aluminum Thin Films

Explored the deposition of aluminum thin films on GaAs substrates via thermal evaporation, emphasizing impurity control, microstructural properties (grain size, roughness), and electrical transport properties. Independently designed the experimental workflow and optimized deposition parameters such as thickness (10-150 nm), vacuum levels (0.1-1 mPa), and deposition rates (0.05-0.12 nm/s). Applied quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) techniques for real-time monitoring of film thickness. Used EDS to measure oxygen content, AFM to analyze surface morphology, RHEED to characterize crystal structure, and a four-probe method to measure electrical conductivity. Addressed inaccuracies in traditional four-probe methods for ultra-thin films by reviewing literature and adopting a revised formula tailored to thin-film models, improving resistivity data accuracy. Contribution: Innovatively integrated multi-technique analysis (EDS/AFM/RHEED/four-probe) to elucidate the oxidation mechanisms and transport properties of aluminum films.