Journal of Electron Spectroscopy and Related Phenomena 105 (1999) 129–133 www.elsevier.nl / locate / elspec EELS characterization of TiN grown by the DC sputtering technique a, b ,1 b b * O. Contreras , A. Duarte-Moller , G.A. Hirata , M. Avalos-Borja a ´ ´ ´ Centro de Investigacion Cientıfica y de Educacion Superior de Ensenada Km.107, Carretera Tijuana-Ensenada, Ensenada B.C. 22800, Mexico b Centro de Ciencias de la Materia Condensada-UNAM, A.Postal 2681, Ensenada B.C. 2800, Mexico Received 20 January 1999; accepted 18 June 1999 Abstract Titanium nitride thin films were deposited on monocrystalline silicon (mc-Si) substrates by direct current reactive magnetron sputtering. Auger electron spectra (AES) of deposited films at different nitrogen partial pressures, show the typical N KL L and Ti L M M Auger transition overlapping. Also, changes in the Ti L M M Auger transition 23 23 3 23 23 3 23 45 peak are observed. X-ray diffraction and high resolution electron microscopy (HRTEM) of a golden color TiN / mc-Si sample, reveal a preferential polycrystalline columnar growth in the k111l orientation. This sample was also analyzed by electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS). The N / Ti elemental ratio is slightly different to the value determined by AES. Atomic distribution around the N atoms is in agreement with that expected from the N atom in the fcc unit cell of TiN. This distribution was obtained via an extended energy-loss fine structure (EXELFS) analysis from EELS spectra.  1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: TiN; EELS; EXELFS; RDF 1. Introduction color and excellent wear resistance [1,2]. Also, because it is a good diffusion barrier for metals and Much attention has been directed toward the has a high electrical conductivity, it can be applied in synthesis of carbide and nitride compounds. contact layers for solar cells and in silicon semi- Titanium nitride thin films are a representative conductor devices [3,4]. example of this kind of material. Titanium nitride Chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor has a unique combination of properties, such as high deposition (PVD), ion implantation and, recently, hardness, good chemical inertness, beautiful lustrous pulsed laser deposition (PLD) are methods common- ly used for deposition of TiN thin films. Several reports have been done on the influence of ex- *Corresponding author. Tel.: 152-61-744-604; fax: 152-61-744- perimental parameters on TiN film properties [5,6]. 603. To carry out this study, it is important to have E-mail address: edel@cecimac.unam.mx (O. Contreras) 1 several techniques available for analysis. Auger ´ Present address: Centro de Investigacion en Materiales Avan- electron and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are zados, S. C. Miguel de Cervantes 120, Complejo Industrial Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Ch. 31109, Mexico. often used for TiN film quantification, while trans- 0368-2048 / 99 / $ – see front matter  1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S0368-2048(99)00061-4