Phase change material radio-frequency device and methods for forming the same

A phase change material radio-frequency device comprising:

• a heater line located over a substrate;
• an inhomogeneous aluminum nitride layer located over the heater line and comprising first component aluminum nitride layers interlaced with second component aluminum nitride layers, wherein the second component aluminum nitride layers have a greater average atomic percentage of nitrogen than the first component aluminum nitride layers;
• and
• a phase change material (PCM) line located over the inhomogeneous aluminum nitride layer.

A phase change material radio-frequency switch device comprising:

• a heater line located over a substrate;
• an inhomogeneous aluminum nitride layer located over the heater line, wherein a vertical profile of an atomic percentage of nitrogen atoms in the inhomogeneous aluminum nitride layer includes multiple local peaks;
• a phase change material (PCM) line located over the inhomogeneous aluminum nitride layer and comprising a middle portion overlying the heater line, a first end portion adjoined to a first side of the middle portion, and a second end portion adjoined to a second side of the middle portion;
• a first conductive barrier plate contacting the first end portion;
• a first electrode contacting the first conductive barrier plate;
• a second conductive barrier plate contacting the second end portion;
• a second electrode contacting the second conductive barrier plate;
• a first electrode-capping dielectric plate located on a top surface of the first electrode;
• and
• a second electrode-capping dielectric plate located on a top surface of the second electrode.