Structure Of Titanium Nitride Films Research Articles

DEVELOPMENT AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF METHODS FOR INCREASING THE STABILITY OF MATERIALS OF ACCELERATING STRUCTURES TO HIGH VACUUM ELECTRICAL DISCHARGES

The experimental technique is described and the results of a study of the resistance to high vacuum electrical breakdowns of copper samples coated with thin films of titanium nitride are presented. The studies were carried out in a two-electrode system having the so-called “plane-tip” configuration. Using the method of X-ray diffractometry, we studied the effect of the structure of titanium nitride films on their efficiency as a material that reduces the probability of breakdown.

Crystal structure and mechanical properties of titanium nitride films synthesized by magnetron sputtering with a hot target

The effect of nitrogen consumption and the discharge current density on the crystal structure of titanium nitride films synthesized by the method of reactive magnetron sputtering of a hot target at a constant current is studied by X-ray phase analysis. It is found that the phase of titanium nitride of a cubic crystal system is formed in the films. An increase in the current density leads to the texturing of the crystals parallel to the (111) plane in the films. In this case, the hardness and the modulus of normal elasticity are increased significantly.

Titanium nitride thin film as a novel charge collector in TCO-less dye-sensitized solar cell

A titanium nitride (TiN)-based dye-sensitized solar cell is developed where TiN is used as a charge collector and TCO-less glass as a substrate. A nanocrystalline TiO2 film was deposited onto a TCO-less glass substrate using the radio frequency (r.f.) magnetron sputtering method and capped with a TiN film with a thickness of ∼66 to ∼167 nm, which was controlled by varying sputtering time. The crystal structure of TiN layers is analyzed using XRD, chemical bonding nature and composition (TiN0.95) were confirmed by XPS and RBS, respectively. Cross-sectional scanning electron microscopic images confirmed the columnar structure of TiN films. Electrical resistance is exponentially decayed and approaches 4.4 Ω as the TiN film thickness increases up to 167 nm. The photovoltaic property is significantly influenced by the TiN film thickness. The energy conversion efficiency increases from 3.3% to 6.8% with increasing the TiN film thickness from 66 nm to 86 nm, where an increase in fill factor from 0.33 to 0.64 is mainly responsible for the efficiency improvement. The highest efficiency of 7.4% is obtained with a 136 nm-thick TiN film and declines to 5.8% at 167 nm, resulting in a one order of magnitude retarded diffusion rate of I3−. A long-term stability test was performed for 1000 h and compared with a cell with pure Ti metal. The TiN-based cell maintains an efficiency of 84% after 1000 h, while the efficiency of the Ti-based cell is degraded by ∼34%, indicating that TiN is more stable than Ti in the TCO-less dye-sensitized solar cell.

Effects of substrate bias and argon flux on the structure of titanium nitride films deposited by filtered cathodic arc plasma

AbstractHigh‐quality titanium nitride (TiN) films with nano‐structure were prepared at ambient temperature on (111) silicon substrates by filtered cathodic arc plasma (FCAP) technology with an in‐plane “S” filter. The effects of substrate bias and argon flux on the crystal grain size, roughness and preferred orientation were systematically investigated. It was found that the substrate bias and argon flux can affect the properties of TiN films effectively. Transmission electron microscope images showed that the crystal grain size was uniform and ranged from 10 nm to 5 nm. The results of X‐ray diffraction and electron diffraction indicated that the degree of preferred orientation was more evident under high substrate bias and high argon flux. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

The effect of thermal treatment on the electrical properties of titanium nitride thin films by filtered arc plasma method

In this work, the titanium nitride (TiN) films were prepared by filtered arc plasma (FAP) method with thickness ranging from 7 to 75 nm. The structure of TiN film was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Sheet resistance ( R □) and TCR were measured by four-point probe station and TCR measurement system respectively. The results indicate that R □ and TCR of TiN films are strongly thickness-dependent. After annealed above their individual critical temperature ( T c), all films experienced huge resistance increases and color variations. While annealed below T c, most of TiN films exhibited better resistance stability and repeatability than as-deposited TiN film. For extremely thin TiN film, like 7 nm, after annealed below T c, its TCR turned from positive to negative. T c for different TiN film was found strongly thickness-dependent from 200 to 600 °C.

Effects of pressure on the structure of titanium nitride film in the preparation using metallic plasma-based ion implantation and deposition

Titanium nitride (TiN) film was prepared by metallic plasma-based ion implantation and deposition (PBII&D). The pulse voltage of −10 kV-amplitude and 20 μs-width was repeatedly applied to the substrate at a frequency of 400 Hz. The plasma was generated by a titanium cathodic arc in nitrogen gas. The nitrogen pressure was varied from 3 to 18 Pa, and the effects of pressure on the structure of the film were discussed. Nearly stoichiometric TiN films were prepared by PBII&D using a cathodic arc with a high deposition rate. A gold-colored film with high crystallinity and preferred (2 0 0) orientation was formed at pressure in a range between 5.6 and 8.5 Pa. The films had fine grains, and showed a high microhardness. The film prepared without an introduction of enough ion energy showed poor crystallinity.

Composition and structure of titanium nitride films prepared by ion beam enhanced deposition

Titanium nitride films have been prepared by simultaneous vacuum deposition of titanium and nitrogen ion beams with ion energy of 40 keV. The atomic arrival ratio of implanted ions to deposited atoms was varied from 0 to 0.5. The film composition and structure were analyzed by RBS, AES, TEM and XRD. The results show that nitrogen ion bombardment can clearly reduce the oxygen concentration in the film. The component ratio (N/Ti) in films prepared at low temperature was greater than that in the films prepared at high temperature. At the same atomic arrival ratio, the component ratio (N/Ti) in the films decreased with increasing titanium deposition rate. These results are considered to occur since the film composition is strongly affected by the adsorption of nitrogen, which depends sensitively on the substrate temperature, titanium deposition rate and pressure of nitrogen gas in the target chamber. The films were mainly TiN polycrystals, whereas only amorphous structures have been observed in films prepared under the same condition but without nitrogen ion bombardment. The preferred crystalline orientation of the film changed from 〈111〉 to 〈200〉 with an increase of the atomic arrival ratio (N/Ti). Such a variation is due to the difference in energy deposition on each titanium atom from the nitrogen ion beam during the ion beam enhanced deposition (IBED) process.

Investigation of Titanium Nitride Synthesized by Ion Beam Enhanced Deposition

ABSTRACTTitanium nitride films have been synthesized at room temperature by alternate deposition of titanium and bombardment by nitrogen ions with an energy of 40KeV. The component depth profiles and the structure of titanium nitride films were investigated by means of RBS, AES, TEM, XPS and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that titanium nitride films formed by ion beam enhanced deposition (IBED) had columnar structure and were mainly composed of TiN crystallites with random orientation. The oxygen contamination in titanium nitride films prepared by IBED was less than that of the deposited film without nitrogen ion bombardment. It was confirmed that a significant intermixed layer exists at the interface. The thickness of this layer was about 40 nm for the film prepared on iron plate. The mechanical properties of the film have been investigated. The films formed by IBED exhibited high hardness, improved wear resistance and low friction.