HETEROEPITAXIAL TIN FILM GROWTH ON SI(111) BY LOW-ENERGY REACTIVE ION-BEAM EPITAXY

Epitaxial TiN(111) films were grown on Si(lll) substrates by low energy reactive ion beam deposition using Nz ion beam irradiation and Ti evaporation. TiN epitaxial film formation was investigated as a function of the substrate temperature (T-s) and the kinetic energy of the ion beam (E(b)). Using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and in-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), the epitaxial relationship was found to be TiN(111)//Si(111), TiN[110]//Si[110] above substrate temperature of 400 degrees C. Cross-sectional bright-field transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation has shown that the interface is quite flat and sharp and that four TiN lattice spacings match three spacings of the Si lattice. A lowest resistivity value of 18 mu Omega . cm (T-s = 600 degrees C, E(b) = 100 eV) was obtained.