GLANCING INCIDENCE X-RAY STUDIES OF TITANIUM NITRIDE THIN FILMS USING A NEW MULTIPURPOSE LABORATORY SPECTROMETER

Overview & Synopsis

A multipurpose laboratory glancing angle X-ray spectrometer using a standard X-ray tube and a germanium solid state detector has been designed for vertical and horizontal diffraction scans, reflectivity and glancing angle fluorescence measurements. It has been used to study titanium nitride thin films grown under various conditions that vary the stoichiometry, strain, grain size, orientation and lattice parameter. In particular, films grown at liquid nitrogen substrate temperature show very high compressive stresses, very small grain sizes, random orientation and lattice parameter shifts, independent of substrate material. Films grown at room temperature and above have much narrower diffraction lines, preferred orientation and lower compressive stresses. By suppressing and even eliminating the substrate scattering, the glancing incidence technique has been very helpful in determining the amorphous-like character or amorphous content of these low temperature thin films.