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Growth and characterization of TiN/SiN(001) superlattice films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Hans Söderberg ,
Magnus Odén ,
Axel Flink ,
Jens Birch ,
Per O.Å. Persson ,
Manfred Beckers  and
Lars Hultman
Hans Söderberg*
Affiliation:
Division of Engineering Materials, Luleå University of Technology, SE-971 87 Luleå, Sweden
Magnus Odén
Affiliation:
Division of Engineering Materials, Luleå University of Technology, SE-971 87 Luleå, Sweden
Axel Flink
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Jens Birch
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Per O.Å. Persson
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Manfred Beckers
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
Lars Hultman
Affiliation:
Thin Film Physics Division, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: soderberg.hans@gmail.com
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Abstract

We report the layer structure and composition in recently discovered TiN/SiN(001) superlattices deposited by dual-reactive magnetron sputtering on MgO(001) substrates. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy combined with Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy, x-ray reflection, diffraction, and reciprocal-space mapping shows the formation of high-quality superlattices with coherently strained cubic TiN and SiN layers for SiN thickness below 7–10 Å. For increasing SiN layer thicknesses, a transformation from epitaxial to amorphous SiNx (x ⩾ 1) occurs during growth. Elastic recoil detection analysis revealed an increase in nitrogen and argon content in SiNx layers during the phase transformation. The oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen contents in the multilayers were around the detection limit (∼0.1 at.%) with no indication of segregation to the layer interfaces. Nanoindentation experiments confirmed superlattice hardening in the films. The highest hardness of 40.4 ± 0.8 GPa was obtained for 20-Å TiN with 5-Å-thick SiN(001) interlayers, compared to monolithic TiN at 20.2 ± 0.9 GPa.

Keywords

EpitaxyHardnessSputtering
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 22 , Issue 11 , November 2007 , pp. 3255 - 3264
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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References

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