Research on titanium nitride thin films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering for MEMS applications

Titanium nitride can be used among other materials as diffusion barrier for MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) applications. The aim of this study is to elaborate and to characterize at nanoscale titanium nitride thin films. The thin films were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering on silicon substrates using a 99.99% purity titanium target. Different deposition parameters were employed. The deposition temperature, deposition time, substrate bias voltage and the presence/absence of a titanium buffer layer are the parameters that were modified. The so-obtained films were then investigated by atomic force microscopy. A significant impact of the deposition parameters on the determined mechanical and tribological characteristics was highlighted. The results showed that the titanium nitride thin films deposited for 20 min at room temperature without the presence of a titanium buffer layer when a negative bias of −90 V was applied to the substrate is characterized by the best tribological and mechanical behavior.