Characterization of titanium nitride films prepared by d.c. reactive magnetron sputtering at different nitrogen pressures

Abstract

Titanium nitride films have been grown onto glass substrates by d.c. reactive magnetron sputtering from a titanium metallic target at different nitrogen partial pressures. The influence of the nitrogen pressure on structural, electrical and optical properties of TiN films was investigated by measuring their X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, optical reflectance and electrical resistivity. The films show the (111) preferred orientation, the (111) peak intensity decreases as the nitrogen partial pressure is increased. The films have columnar structure and the grain size both along the sample surface and normal to the sample surface increases as the nitrogen partial pressure is increased. The film resistivity has been related with the variation of the film structure. The film, which has high (111) diffraction peak intensity, has high resistivity.