CHARACTERIZATION OF TITANIUM HYDRIDE FILM AFTER LONG-TERM AIR INTERACTION - SEM, ARXPS AND AES DEPTH PROFILE STUDIES

Thin titanium hydride (TiHy) films are compared with thin titanium fil ms after analysis using a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and angle-resolved x-ray phot oelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS), The TiHy films were prepared under ult rahigh vacuum conditions by precisely controlled hydrogen sorption at 298 It on Ti films evaporated onto a glass substrate, Analysis was per formed in separate systems after long-term exposure of the films to ai r, Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed a grain structure of the TiHy film, with a smaller grain size than the Ti film, Both the s urface and bulk regions have been analysed in terms of their chemical composition and elemental distribution. Titanium dioxide was found to be the main chemical compound forming a contamination layer on both th e TiHy and Ti film surfaces, Also, significant concentrations of carbo n monoxide and hydrocarbon as well as small amounts of nitrogen and ti tanium carbide were detected, The thickness of the contaminated titani um oxide layer on the TiHy and Ti films was found to be similar to 13 and similar to 20 nm, respectively, Long-term air interaction with the TiHy film leads to bulk penetration of oxygen but not to complete TiH y decomposition. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.