X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON-SPECTROSCOPY STUDY OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REACTIVELY EVAPORATED AND DIRECT SPUTTER-DEPOSITED TIN FILMS AND THEIR OXIDATION PROPERTIES

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is used to study carefully prep ared oxide-free titanium nitride (TiN) films of nearly identical stoic hiometry, grown by direct sputtering and reactive evaporation. The lin e shapes and peak positions of the Ti 2p and N 1s transitions are depe ndent upon the deposition method. The XPS results showed that oxynitri des are present following exposure of either type of film to dry oxyge n; however, reactively evaporated films have a considerably higher oxi dation rate. Differences in valence band and electron energy loss spec troscopy (EELS) spectra are correlated with the changes observed in th e core levels. The EELS spectra detected the presence of a low energy loss, which is correlated with the TiN electron density of states clos est to the Fermi level. The secondary electron emission yields for rea ctively evaporated TiN were also measured before and after dry oxygen and air exposure, and after heating. The maximum yields are about 10% lower for reactively evaporated films than for similarly treated previ ously measured sputter-deposited layers. (C) 1995 American Vacuum Soci ety.