Studies of the development of texture in TiN films by use of in situ synchrotron x-ray scattering

During growth the micro-structural development of TiN films was studied – especially the change in texture with film thickness. The films were deposited by use of a magnetron sputtering source in a vacuum chamber equipped with two magnetron sources and mounted on a goniometer located at a synchrotron radiation beam line. X-ray diffraction and reflectivity measurements were carried out in situ to follow the microstructure as a function of film thickness. With the deposition parameters that were chosen, a crossover was observed: grains with a (002) plane parallel to the film surface dominate at small thickness, while, at larger thickness, (111) grains dominate. Recrystallization was identified as a mechanism that controls this texture development. The driving force for change of orientation of the individual grains arise from minimalization of the sum of the surface energy and the strain energy of the individual grains.