DC reactive magnetron sputter deposition of (111) textured TiN films — influence of nitrogen flow and discharge power on the texture formation

Optimal conditions for depositing of high textured (111) TiN films by d.c. reactive magnetron sputtering in Ar+N2 atmosphere on Si substrates at ambient temperature are determined. For that purpose the influence of both the nitrogen flow and the discharge power on the film composition and texture formation has been systematically investigated. The discharge power was varied in the interval 0.1–2 kW and the nitrogen flow was varied from 1 to 20 Pa l s−1 at constant total flow q(Ar+N2)=100 Pa l s−1 and constant total pressure ptot=0.66 Pa. The TiN thin films obtained were investigated by GDOS for chemical composition and by X-ray diffraction for phase composition and texture. The electrical resistivity of all samples was also measured. A comparison of the XRD intensity ratio T=I(200)/I(111) and of the resistivity ρ of the TiN films as a function of the nitrogen flow and of the discharge power clearly demonstrates the dominant effect of the discharge power on T and ρ. Films with best (111) texture (T≤0.015) are obtained at relatively low discharge power (Pd.c.<0.8 kW) and low deposition rate (vdep.≤35 nm/min) for all nitrogen flows. These films have over-stoichiometric composition and relatively high electrical resistivity from 260 up to 600 μΩ cm.