Sub-microstructure and surface topography of reactive unbalanced magnetron sputtered titanium and titanium compound thin films

Electron microscopy revealed that TiN and titanium metal grow as individual crystallites within sub stoichiometric TiN. Furthermore the growth direction of these crystallites was found to be influenced by deposition conditions. It was also found that the growth direction alters radically for cylindrical substrates rotated in front of a titanium cathode target.