Track: Environmental Engineering
Abstract
TiOxNy may combine the advantages of titanium oxides and nitrides in optimal conditions. Due to their physical and chemical versatility, titanium oxynitrides are gaining relevance in numerous applications such as optoelectronics, tribology and catalysis. In this study, titanium oxynitride thin film samples were grown at low sputtering pressure (1.07 Pa) on sodalime glass substrates using 99.99 % purity titanium target with argon working gas, pure nitrogen, background residual oxygen and constant sputtering power of 200 W. While other parameters were fixed at the optimum values, the deposition time was varied from 5 and 25minutes. Rutherford backscattering (RBS) spectrometry was used to determine the stoichiometry and areal density of the films. X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and optical microscopy were used to study the structural and microstructural characteristics of the films. Variations in the elemental concentrations of the films with respect to the N/O ratio were observed based on the thickness and deposition time. Diffraction analysis indicated enhancement in crystallinity of the film with thickness, as shown from the changes in peak intensities at the preferred crystallographic orientation. Stoichiometric results showed transition of the TiNx-Oy thin films from non-metallic oxide (TiOxNy) to metallic nitride (Ti2N) characteristics with increase in N/Ti and N/O ratios.