PREFERRED ORIENTATION IN TI FILMS SPUTTER-DEPOSITED ON SIO2 GLASS - THE ROLE OF WATER CHEMISORPTION ON THE SUBSTRATE

Ti thin films have been grown on SiO2 glass layers at 350 degrees C by ultrahigh vacuum magnetron sputtering with a small amount of H2O, H-2 or O-2 gas introduction to investigate the influence of adsorption on the crystallographic orientation of the Ti films. In situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) and ex situ. X-ray diffractio n (XRD) studies showed that a water vapor introduction at the beginnin g of sputter deposition promotes a highly preferred (002) orientation, whereas H-2 gas or Oz gas introduction does not affect the orientatio n. These results indicate that the increase of water chemisorption on the substrate by H2O gas introduction and reduction of the surface fre e energy enhance the self-assembly of the Ti atoms toward the most sta ble C-axis orientation.