Effect of Sealing Time of Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) Film for Preventing Plasma Damage

The damage to the surface structure of Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) caused by plasma and heat is evaluated with respect to the sealing time (0, 10, 30 and 60 minutes). With 10 minutes sealing time of the oxide layer, the leakage current is abruptly reduced, while the breakdown voltage and permittivity are rapidly improved. Longer sealing after 10 minutes makes less efficiencies. In the samples sealed for 30 or 60 minutes, more cracks are generated by plasma and heat treatments, result in the reduction of the breakdown voltage. Sealing longer than 10 minutes produces much contamination particles by plasma treatment. The resistance to plasma and heat is improved with a sealing time of 10 minutes.