Conversion of Magnetron Deposited TiC Films into Rutile TiO2

Abstract

AbstractSummary: TiO2 films can be obtained by a wide variety of technologies ranging from thermal oxidation, through PVD methods to a direct CVD growth. In this work, we report a two‐step fabrication of thin films of TiO2 (rutile). For the first time as a starting material were used TiC films deposited on monocrystalline silicon wafers by magnetron DC‐sputtering. The results of treatment of TiC thin films by an H2O/HCl gas mixture and Ar as a carrier gas at temperatures up to 1 000 °C and atmospheric pressure are presented. TiC films were converted into thin rutile films with traces of carbon. The microstructure and composition of the as‐deposited TiC films and of the films after treatment were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) with a Co Kα (λ = 0.179 nm) and a Cu Kα source (λ = 0.154 nm) and by Raman spectroscopy.A SEM image of the treated TiC film.imageA SEM image of the treated TiC film.