Conversion of magnetron deposited TiC films into rutile TiO2

TiO 2 films can be obtained by a wide variety of technologies ranging from thermal oxidation, through PVD methods to a direct CVD growth. In this work, we report a two-step fabrication of thin films of TiO 2 (rutile). For the first time as a starting material were used TiC films deposited on monocrystalline silicon wafers by magnetron DC-sputtering. The results of treatment of TiC thin films by an H 2 O/HCl gas mixture and Ar as a carrier gas at temperatures up to 1000 °C and atmospheric pressure are presented. TiC films were converted into thin rutile films with traces of carbon. The microstructure and composition of the as-deposited TiC films and of the films after treatment were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), by X-ray diffraction (XRD) with a Co Ka (λ = 0.179 nm) and a Cu Kα source (λ = 0.154 nm) and by Raman spectroscopy.