Open AccessModelling the growth of transition metal nitrides
Author(s) -
Stijn Mahieu,
Diederik Depla,
Roger De Gryse
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of physics. conference series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.21
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1742-6596
pISSN - 1742-6588
DOI - 10.1088/1742-6596/100/8/082003
Subject(s) - tin , microstructure , materials science , sputter deposition , nitride , sputtering , metallurgy , deposition (geology) , physical vapor deposition , thin film , chemical physics , nanotechnology , layer (electronics) , chemistry , paleontology , sediment , biology
Due to its unique physical properties, and its wide use in industrial applications, the growth of TiN has been extensively investigated and reported in literature. Since the final film properties are known to be influenced by the film microstructure and crystallographic orientation, much effort has been made to understand the fundamental phenomena determining the film growth process. However, several controversial growth models have been published. As an attempt to gain more insights in the growth of TiN and to have a better control on the development of the microstructure and crystallographic orientation, a general growth model is discussed. It will be shown that this growth model enables to understand the influence of several deposition parameters such as the film thickness, ion-to-atom ratio, and N(2)-flow on the resulting microstructure and orientation of TiN films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering