Structure, electronic properties and electron energy loss spectra of transition metal nitride films

We present a thorough and critical study of the electronic properties of the mononitrides of the group IV–V–VI metals (TiN, ZrN, HfN, NbN, TaN, MoN, and WN) grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD). The microstructure and density of the films have been studied by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Reflectivity (XRR), while their optical properties were investigated by spectral reflectivity at vertical incidence and in-situ reflection electron energy loss spectroscopy (R-EELS). We report the R-EELS spectra for all the binary TMN and we identify their features (metal-d plasmon and N-p + metal-d loss) based on previous ab-initio band structure calculations. The spectral positions of p + d loss peak are rationally grouped according to the electron configuration (i.e. of the respective quantum numbers) of the constituent metal. The assigned and reported R-EELS spectra can be used as a reference database for the colloquial in-situ surface analysis performed in most laboratories.

► Identification of the effect of ionization potential to the structure of PLD nitride films.
► Report of low energy electron loss spectra of NbN, MoN, HfN, TaN, WN.
► Correlation of the Np+Med loss peak with the metal’s valence electron configuration.