EPITAXIAL-GROWTH OF HIGHLY CRYSTALLINE AND CONDUCTIVE NITRIDE FILMS BY PULSED-LASER DEPOSITION

KrF pulsed excimer laser deposition was found to produce epitaxial TiN and ZrN films on Si{100} and MgO{100} substrates, respectively, with optimized laser fluence, substrate temperature and nitrogen ambient pressure. The epitaxial nature of these films was confirmed by the X-ray pole figure, and the crystallinity was evaluated from the full width at half-maximum of the X-ray omega-rocking curve and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. The electrical resistivities of these epitaxial TiN and ZrN films were as low as 40 mu Omega cm. The crystal orientation and impurity phase formation are discussed based on a thermodynamic consideration.