Properties Of Zirconium Nitride Films Research Articles

Effect of nitrogen flow ratio on structure and properties of zirconium nitride films on Si(100) prepared by ion beam sputtering

In this study, zirconium nitride thin films were deposited on Si substrates by ion beam sputtering (IBS). Influence of N2/(N2+Ar) on the structural and physical properties of the films has been investigated with respect to the atomic ratio between nitrogen and zirconium. It was found that the thickness of layers decreased by increasing the F(N2). Moreover, crystalline plane peaks such as (111), (200) and (220) with (111) preferred orientation were observed due to strain energy which associate with (111) orientation in ZrN. Also, the fluctuation in nitrogen flow ratio results in colour and electrical resistivity of films.

Influence of flow ratio of N2 to (N2+Ar) mixture on the structure and properties of zirconium nitride films prepared by radio frequency magnetron sputtering

Zr–N films were grown on glass and Si (100) substrate by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering using a mixture of high pure nitrogen and argon as sputtering gases. The structure and properties of Zr–N compounds in the films change with N2/(N2+Ar) flow ratio (RN2). At low RN2, a ZrN alloy with the rocksalt structure (denoted as γ-ZrNx) is formed. The N concentration x and lattice constant increases with increasing RN2, and x reaches 1 when the RN2 goes up to 20%. As the RN2 exceeds 20%, the film is composed of γ-ZrN and Zr3N4 phase with Th3P4 structure (denoted as c-Zr3N4). The relative content decreases for the γ-ZrN but increases for the c-Zr3N4 with increasing RN2, and a single phase of c-Zr3N4 was deposited on glass at RN2 of 100%. The c-Zr3N4 behaves with p-type conductivity with a band gap of 2.8 eV. The lattice constant of the c-Zr3N4 was measured to be ∼0.674 nm. The mechanism of the phase transition from γ-ZrN to c-Zr3N4 with increasing RN2 was suggested.

Effect of substrate temperature on structural and materials properties of zirconium nitride films on D9 steel substrates

AbstractThin zirconium nitride (ZrN) films were prepared by using reactive direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering onto D9 steel substrates. XRD technique was employed to study the coatings, observing variations of crystallite size, crystallite texture and lattice constant, as a function of substrate temperature. Chemical states of the ZrN thin films were determined by X‐ray photoelectron microscopy (XPS). AFM picture showed the presence of spherical shaped grains on the top of homogeneous granular surface. The hardness and elastic modulus values were measured by nanoindendation and their values are 18.5 and 343 GPa respectively. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Influence of N 2:(N 2 + Ar) flow ratio and substrate temperature on the properties of zirconium nitride films prepared by reactive dc magnetron sputtering

Preferred crystal orientation and low electrical resistivity are required for ZrN x films applied in electronic devices. In this paper, effects of N 2:(N 2+Ar) flow ratio ( F(N 2)) and substrate temperature on the properties of the films deposited on glass substrate by reactive dc sputtering are investigated. In a wide range of F(N 2) (4–24%), the films show fcc NaCl structure. While for F(N 2) in the ranges of 5–12, 12–24 and >24%, the films show (1 1 1)/(2 0 0), (1 1 1) only and amorphous structures, respectively. The electrical resistivity increases with F(N 2) from 5 to 24%, and can be controlled to some extent by changing the substrate temperature.

Reactively sputtered zirconium nitride coatings: structural, mechanical, optical and electrical characteristics

This paper presents the result of the substrate bias voltage effect on the properties of zirconium nitride films, such as structure, morphology, hardness, internal stresses, optical constants and electrical resistivity. The coatings are deposited on steel and silicon substrates by magnetron sputtering of a zirconium target in reactive Ar–N 2 mixture. If a bias voltage is applied to the substrate holder, the film texture changes into a [1 1 1] one. For negative bias voltage values higher than −110 V, the lattice constant decreases and porosities are also observed on the films’ surface. These porosities result from a resputtering phenomenon, which occurs only at high values of negative bias voltage. Although the average crystal size is nearly unchanged by the use of a bias voltage, the films present a maximum of hardness (39.5 GPa) vs. this deposition parameter. The optical properties of ZrN films are correlated with the films structure and their hardness. Optical properties close to those of bulk zirconium nitride are obtained for films deposited with a bias voltage of −110 V. Finally, the electrical resistivity of reactively sputtered ZrN coatings has been measured using the four-point probe method.

Structure, electrical and chemical properties of zirconium nitride films deposited by dc reactive magnetron sputtering

and Ar ambient. X-ray diffraction indicated that growth of ZrN with a preferred (111) orientation over Si(100) was achieved. The resistivity of the films varies from 200 μΩcm to 15 μΩcm depending on the N2 content in the working gas. The square resistance of the films deposited on 96% Al2O3 ceramic wafers is stable below 300 °C.

The properties of ZrN films and ZrN-based tunnel junctions

The results of investigation of the structure and physical properties of zirconium nitride films and tunnel junctions made of them are presented. Formation conditions of ZrN heteroepitaxial layers on sapphire substrates have been studied. Superconducting properties and resistivity of 23 to 240nm thickness films obtained on different substrates over deposition temperature range 450 to 1000°C have been investigated. The energy gap in ZrN films has been determined from I-V characteristics of ZrN-I-Pb junctions taking into account the proximity effect.