Incorporation effects of Si in TiCx thin films

Ti-Si-C thin films with varying Si content between 0 to 10 at.% were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering from elemental targets. The effects on microstructure and lattice parameters were investigated using x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and first-principles calculations. The results show that the growth of pure TiCx onto Al2O3(0001) substrates at a temperature of 350 °C yields (111) epitaxial and understoichiometric films with x ~ 0.7. For Si contents up to 4 at.%, the TiCx epitaxy is retained locally. Si starts to segregate out from the TiCx to column boundaries at concentrations between 1 and 4 at.%, and causes a transition from epitaxial to polycrystalline growth above 4 at.%. Eventually, the top part of the films form a nanocomposite of crystalline TiC grains surrounded by amorphous SiC and C for Si contents studied up to 10 at.%. The results show that Si takes the place of carbon when incorporated in the TiC lattice.