Structure of thin titanium nitride films deposited by magnetron sputtering

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Abstract

This review paper is focused on the structure of thin titanium nitride films formed by magnetron sputtering. A model of film growth depending on the deposition temperature and nitrogen flow is considered. This model is compared with experimental results. The effect of annealing on the structure of titanium nitride films is described.

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About the authors

A. G. Isaev

NRC “Kurchatov Institute”

Author for correspondence.
Email: isaev.ag@phystech.edu
Russian Federation, Moscow

A. E. Rogozhin

NRC “Kurchatov Institute”

Email: isaev.ag@phystech.edu
Russian Federation, Moscow

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Supplementary files

Supplementary Files
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2. Fig. 1. Schematic representation of film structure changes with substrate temperature (Ts) relative to the melting temperature of the deposited material (Tm) or gas particle flux (Jgas) relative to the target particle flux (Jtar) according to the RSZ model [12]

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3. Fig. 2. Schematic representation of the structure of films obtained under the conditions of zones Ia and Ib

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4. Fig. 3. Schematic representation of the growth process and the final structure of films obtained under the conditions of zone Ic [15]

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5. Fig. 4. Schematic representation of the growth process and the final structure of films obtained under the conditions of zone T [15]

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6. Fig. 5. Schematic representation of the structure of films obtained under the conditions of zone II [15]

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7. Fig. 6. Film orientation and SEM images of the film surface at different nitrogen flows during sputtering [15]

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8. Fig. 7. Model of TiN film structure changes during growth: (a–d) schematic representation of TiN film structure changes during growth; (e–g) TEM images; (h, i) XRD spectra confirming the model [18]

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9. Fig. 8. Effect of nitrogen flow on the structure of TiN film on tantalum substrate: (a–c) SEM images of film surfaces obtained at different nitrogen flows; dependence of average grain size (g) and film orientation (e) on the nitrogen flow value [22]

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10. Fig. 9. Structure of TiN films using N2 /O2 mixture as a reactive gas: (a) SEM images of films obtained at different reactive gas flows; effect of reactive gas flow on XRD spectra (b) and film orientation (c) [23]

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11. Fig. 10. Effect of annealing in Ar/H2 atmosphere on the structure of TiN films: SEM images of unannealed (a) and annealed at 700 °C (b) film; XRD spectra of films with different annealing temperatures (c); Orientation (g) and roughness (d) of the film surface depending on the annealing temperature and thickness [24]

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12. Fig. 11. SEM images of the TiN film surface after annealing at different temperatures: a) unannealed film; b) 300 °C; c) 450 °C; d) 700 °C; d) 900 °C [25]

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13. Fig. 12. Effect of low-temperature anneals on the structure of TiN films: AFM images of the surface of unannealed film (a) and films annealed at 100 °C (b), 200 °C (c), 300 °C (d); XRD spectra and film roughness (d) at different annealing temperatures [26]

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14. Fig. 13. Effect of annealing temperature of HiPIMS films on orientation (a), average grain size (b) and roughness (c) of the film [27]

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