Microstructure and Preferred Orientation of Titanium Nitride Films Prepared by Laser CVD

Titanium nitride (TiNx: x = 0.96-1.12) films were prepared by laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD) using tetrakis-diethylamide-titanium (TDEAT) and ammonia (NH3) as source materials. The effects of deposition conditions, mainly total gas pressure (P-tot), laser power (P-L) and pre-heating temperature (T-pre), on the composition, microstructure and preferred orientation of TiNx films were investigated. The N/Ti ratios (x) in TiNx films decreased with increasing P-tot and increased with T-pre at P-tot < 400 Pa. The preferred orientation significantly depended on the T-pre and P-L. (111) orientation was obtained at T-pre < 673 K and P-tot < 600 Pa, whereas (200) orientation appeared at T-pre > 673 K and P-tot < 600 Pa. The increase in P-L caused the change from (200) to (111) orientation. With increasing T-pre, the TiNx films changed from a faceted texture with (111) orientation to a square texture with (200) orientation. [doi: 10.2320/matertrans.M2009101]