Laser reactive ablation deposition of titanium nitride and titanium carbide films

Titanium nitride and titanium carbide films were deposited on silicon substrates by XeCl excimer laser reactive ablation of titanium in nitrogen and methane atmospheres, respectively. A series of 10,000 pulses at the fluence of approximately 5 J/cm2 and repetition rate of 10 Hz were directed to the target. The pressure in the chamber was fixed, during every irradiation series, at a given value within the range 6 X 10-4 - 10 mbar of N2 or CH4. Very flat films with thickness exceeding 1 micrometers were deposited. The structural characteristics of the deposited films were investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, and by x-ray diffraction. Under specific experimental conditions very pure nitride films were deposited.