RHEED analysis of interface growth modes of TiN films on Si 001/produced by crossed beam laser ablation

Epitaxial growth of TiN thin films on Si 001. using reactive crossed beam laser ablation has been investigated for substrate temperatures between 250 and 8008C. In situ RHEED analysis of the growing film has revealed two distinct interface growth regimes. Under about 550"508C, TiN 001.grows epitaxially on Si 001.in a Volmer–Weber type 4-on-3 cube-on-cube mode and produces compressive biaxial stress in-plane, whereas at higher temperatures, the growth mode changes to a Stranski–Krastinov 5-on-4 cube-on-cube type with dilation of the strained interface layer. q1998 Elsevier Science B.V.