Atomic-layer chemical-vapor-deposition of TiN thin films on Si(100) and Si(111)

Abstract

An atomic-layer chemical vapor deposition (AL-CVD) system was used to deposit TIN thin films on Si(100) and Si(lll) substrates by cyclic exposures of TiCl4 and NH3. The growth rate was measured by using the number of deposition cycles, and the physical properties were compared with those of TIN films grown by using coventional deposition methods. To investigate the growth mechanism, we suggest a growth model for TiN in order to calculate the growth rate per cycle with a Cerius program. The results of the calculation with the model were compared with the experimental values for the TiN film deposited using the AL-CVD method. The stoichiometry of the TiN film was examined by using Auger electron spectroscopy, and the chlorine and the oxygen impurities were examined. The x-ray diffraction and the transmission electron microscopy results for the TiN film exhibited a strong (200) peak and a randomly oriented columnar microstructure. The electrical resistivity was found to decrease with increasing deposition temperature. The densities of the TiN films measured by using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy were between 4.2 g/cm(3) and 4.98 g/cm(3).