Improvement in crystallinity and electrical properties of TiN thin films deposited on ZnO underlayers

TiN single layers and double-layered ZnO/TiN thin films were deposited on soda-lime-silicate glass substrates by magnetron sputtering. The influence of ZnO underlayers on TiN thin films was investigated as a function of oxygen gas pressure during ZnO underlayer deposition. It was found from X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement that the TiN single layers exhibited OM-preferred orientation, whereas the {100}-oriented TiN thin films could be obtained on ZnO underlayers. Furthermore, when the oxygen gas pressure during ZnO underlayer deposition decreased, the XRD peak intensity due to TiN{100} increased. The X-ray reflectivity measurement revealed that the ZnO underlayers exhibited small roughness and high density as the oxygen gas pressure decreased during deposition. It can be concluded that the smooth and dense ZnO underlayers enhanced the crystal growth of TiN thin films. (C) 2014 The Japan Society of Applied Physics