Ion-Assisted Crystal Growth by Post Irradiation as Applied to Nitride Formation

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Abstract
A (100)-oriented TiN film was successfully prepared by means of the post irradiation of the 5 keV N2 + ion beam onto the predeposited titanium film ∼500 Å thick on a Si(001) substrate at room temperature. The crystal growth of TiN film was monitored by reflection high energy electron diffraction (RHEED) during the experiment in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). The TiN film was also studied by reflection electron microscopy (REM) and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM). Results have clearly shown that the color and crystallographic orientation of the TiN film are substantially controlled by the ion dose; the TiN film showed polycrystallinity at a low ion dose, whereas the TiN(100)-oriented face grew mainly with high ion dose, ∼1×1017 ions ·cm-2. The color of the film also changes as ion dose increased; in particular, a golden color became conspicuous between ∼3×1016 ions · cm-2 and ∼5×1016 ions·cm-2.