A real-time X-ray scattering study of sputtering growth of TiN films

We report the results of a real-time synchrotron x-ray scattering study of the growth of TiN thin films on Si(001) substrates by RF sputtering. Our experiemnts show that the morphology of the TiN films strongly depends on growth conditions. After the nucleation and growth takes place with random crystallographic orientation at the very early stage, the films grow with a preferred orientation. Such preferred orientation was found to depend on both the sputtering power and the carrier gases used in the sputtering. Generally, the final morphology assumes either(111) or (002) crystallographic orientation. Using Ar sputtering, a cross-over effect from(002) to (111) was observed at intermediate time. The nature of the observed morphological changes is discussed.