MANIPULATION OF TEXTURE BY LOW-ENERGY ION-BEAMS - EXAMPLE ION-ASSISTED DEPOSITION OF TITANIUM NITRIDE

The effects of the incident angle and ion current density on the textu re of polycrystalline TiN films grown by low-energy nitrogen ion beam assisted deposition have been investigated. The titanium layers were d eposited on silicon in high vacuum under 2 keV nitrogen ion bombardmen t at room temperature under selected incident angles of the assisting ion beam of 0 degrees, 45 degrees and 54.7 degrees. In dependence on t he ion current density the {001} fibre texture and the biaxial {111}, {001} and {011} textures were detected for the bombardment under the d ifferent incident angles. The preferred crystalline orientations are d iscussed on the base of the dominate influence of the ion beam and the deposited energy per atom on the orientation of the growing film.