High-resolution AlKα and high-photon energy CrKβ-excited X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of titanium nitride

Abstract

Abstract Samples of titanium nitride were magnetron sputter deposited and transferred in situ to be studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy using high-energy Cr K β radiation and high-resolution Al K α radiation. The determination of the Auger parameter of titanium in titanium nitride using the Ti KLL Auger peak has been carried out at a series of compositions using the Cr K β radiation. The Auger parameter changes by a relatively small amount with composition showing that the extra-atomic relaxation in TiN x is similar to that of the metal, and suggests that charge transfer is largely responsible for the titanium core level peak shifts. The spectral structure of the N1s photoemission peak at high-energy resolution revealed the development of multiple nitrogen environments at high nitrogen concentration, suggesting vacancies on the titanium sublattice or a highly defective structure. The various titanium photoelectron and Auger peaks reveal satellites which can be explained either by two or more local environments for the titanium atoms in fcc titanium nitride, or by a screening mechanism giving two different peaks for equivalent titanium environments.