Reactive magnetron sputtering deposition of TiN films .1. Influence of the substrate temperature on structure, composition and morphology of the films

The study of the substrate temperature influence, for different nitrogen partial pressures, on the structure, the composition and the morphology of TiN films obtained by magnetron sputtering is the aim of this paper. It is shown that for a given nitrogen partial pressure the texture is imposed by the temperature. When this parameter increases, the films tend to grow with their most dense planes parallel to the substrate surface, that is to say (311), (111), (200). For temperatures higher than 300 degrees C, the films are practically stoichiometric. On the contrary, for temperatures lower than 300 degrees C, the ratio N/Ti is larger than 1. Taking into account the nitrogen desorption on the growing film, we try to justify the variation in the film composition. The morphology is considered in the light of these results.