Flat, thin AlN membranes and methods of their manufacture are made available. An AlN thin film (2) contains between 0.001 wt. % and 10 wt. % additive atomic element of one or more type selected from Group-III atoms, Group-IV atoms and Group-V atoms. Onto a base material (1), the AlN thin film (2) is formable utilizing a plasma generated by setting inside a vacuum chamber a sintered AlN ceramic containing between 0.001 wt. % and 10 wt. % additive atomic element of one or more type selected from Group-III atoms, Group-IV atoms and Group-V atoms, and with the base material having been set within the vacuum chamber, irradiating the sintered AlN ceramic with a laser.