Effect of preparation conditions on pinhole defect of TiN films by ion mixing and vapor deposition

Abstract

Pinhole defects of titanium nitride (TiN) films prepared by nitrogen ion irradiation during titanium vapor deposition, ion mixing and vapor deposition (IVD) technique, were evaluated potentiodynamically in a deaerated 0.5 kmol/m 3 H 2SO 4+0.05 kmol/m 3 KSCN solution at 298 K. The nearly stoichiometric TiN films exhibited the columnar structure with the preferred crystal growth of (1 1 1) or (2 0 0) plane, and they contained more or less pinhole defects. The critical passivation current density (CPCD) i crit of TiN films decreased successfully with increasing film thickness and substrate temperature. Here, the area ratio of pinhole defects was evaluated by the ratio of i crit of coated and non-coated specimens, i.e., by CPCD method. Based on such electrochemical evaluation, the optimum preparation conditions for the corrosion-resistant TiN films were discussed.