Epitaxial growth of ZrN on Si(100)

Abstract

Epitaxial ZrNx (x=1.0±0.05) films have been grown on Si(100) substrates using reactive magnetron sputtering. The films were deposited from a Zr sputtering target in a pure N2 discharge with a growth rate of 700 nm/h and substrate temperatures Ts=750 and 900 °C. X-ray diffractometer results showed complete (100) preferred orientation for both temperatures. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations for samples grown at Ts=750 °C indicated that the (100) grains were almost randomly oriented about the surface normal, but that a small fraction of epitaxial grains were present. Electron channeling and TEM showed that ZrN films were epitaxial for Ts=900 °C. The epitaxial relationships were found to be ZrN(100)//Si(100) and ZrN[011]//Si[011]. The resistivity of the films was 25–35 μΩ cm.