Oxidation of titanium nitride in room air and in dry O2

Abstract

The oxidation of TiN in room air and in dry O2 at various partial pressures at temperatures of 350, 400, and 450 °C has been studied using ellipsometry, Auger electron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The film that forms is TiO2 and the oxidation kinetics are quadratic for both room air and dry O2. An initiation time prior to the quadratic growth is observed that is a function of the oxidation temperature, with longer times required for lower temperature. The partial pressure affects the growth as the cube root of the concentration of O2.