Low-energy broad-beam sputter deposition of TiN sub x thin films

The method and parameters of TiN film deposition processes are of dominant influence on the film growth microstructure and its physical properties. One of the PVD methods is the low energy ion beam reactive sputter deposition that offers the changes in the film properties by means of changing the beam parameters such as energy, divergence and current density. In this work, a laboratory made, broad beam, argon ion source was used for the reactive sputter deposition of TiN sub x thin films onto the glass substrates at ambient temperature. At constant argon beam energy (2 keV), partial pressure of nitrogen (up to 6.6 x 10 exp -6 mbar), the substrate ion current and residual gas pressure were changed. The film deposition rate and thickness were controlled in situ by means of a light sensitive device placed on the rear side of the glass substrate. The physical properties of films: color, electrical resistivity and grain size, were correlated with the deposition parameters. High energy ion bombardment of growing film, relatively small ion to atom flux ratio up to 0.04, and low working pressure of 10 exp -5 mbar enabled the formation of a strong (220) preferred orientation rarely obtained for TiN sub x thin films.