OPTICAL-PROPERTIES OF TITANIUM NITRIDE THIN-FILMS

Titanium nitride films were deposited using various process parameters. The film stoichiometry and the optical properties were then measured for all of the films. As expected, the stoichiometry is affected by the deposition rate and composition of the gas phase. We show that the index of refraction is affected by the substrate temperature as well as by the stoichiometry. We also show that as long as the amount of nitrogen in the film is above a critical value, the film is nitride-like. When the amount of nitrogen in the film drops below a critical value, the index of refraction is more characteristic of metallic titanium than titanium nitride.