Initial stages of TiO 2 thin films MOCVD growth studied by in situ surface analyses

Abstract

In situ chemical surface analyses using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were performed to understand the initial stages of TiO 2 thin-film MOCVD growth. Deposits on Si (1 0 0), a few nanometres thick, were obtained at a fixed temperature of 650 °C and for two different pressures, 2.9 and 0.05 mbar, using titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) as precursor. Pressure lowering led to a higher deposit growth rate. Reduction of titanium with respect to stoichiometric titanium dioxide and oxidation of the wet-cleaned silicon substrate are observed from decomposition of the Ti 2p and Si 2p peaks. The formation of a TiSi x O y mixed oxide is also pointed out and confirmed by the presence of a characteristic component in the O 1 s peak.