TITANIUM NITRIDE FILM FORMATION BY THE DYNAMIC ION-BEAM MIXING METHOD

TiN films with a thickness of about 1.0 mum were formed on Si(111) using the dynamic ion beam mixing method at an acceleration voltage of 2-30 kV, nitrogen ion current densities of 0.4-5 A/m2, and Ti evaporation rate of about 0.7 nm/s. The Vickers hardness of these films showed high values of 2300-3300 kg/mm2. Film characterizations were performed using the XRD, TEM, AEM and SIMS methods. An amorphous layer and a polycrystalline TiN layer were sequentially formed on Si substrates. Si, N and Ti atoms were detected in the amorphous layer. Ti in the amorphous layer was thought to be mainly knocked on by N+ and N2+ ions. At 2 and 5 keV nitrogen energy, the thickness of the amorphous layers was 5 and 12 nm, respectively, which corresponds Closely with the projected range of N+ ions. No clear boundary or void could be observed in the TiN layer.