Investigation of TiN deposition in different sized PACVD reactors by meansof optical emission spectroscopy

The TiN-PACVD process by pulsed d.c. plasma in a TiCl4/N-2/H-2/Ar gas mixtu re is investigated. The emission spectra are measured in dependence on the discharge conditions like reactor size (30 l, 200 l, 500 l), current densit y (0.072-0.98 mA/cm(2)) and N-2/H-2 gas inlet ratio (0.03-1.07). It is poss ible to carry out spatially resolved measurements in the small reactor in t he cathode region. Ti+, N-2, N-2(+), H, Ar and Ar+ lines are observed. A Ti + line emission is only observed in the cathode glow, the emission of the o ther species are also detected in the negative glow. The spatial intensity distribution of the emission of the various species i s different. Scanning electron microscopy and glow discharge optical emissi on spectroscopy measurements were carried out to investigate the layer prop erties. The growth rate and the film morphology mainly depend on the curren t density. The layer composition (Ti/N similar to 1) only changes by essent ial small N-2 admixtures. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserve d.