XAFS analysis of indium oxynitride thin films grown on silicon substrates

Local structure of indium oxynitride thin films grown on silicon substrates was investigated by X‐ray absorption fine structure technique incorporated with first principle calculations. The thin films were grown by using reactive gas timing radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique with nitrogen (N₂) and oxygen (O₂) as reactive gasses. The reactive gasses were interchangeably fed into sputtering system at five different time intervals. The gas feeding time intervals of N₂:O₂ are 30 : 0, 30 : 5, 30 : 10, 30 : 20 and 10 : 30 s, respectively. The analysis results can be divided into three main categories. Firstly, the films grown with 30 : 0 and 30 : 5 s gas feeding time intervals are wurtzite structure indium nitride with 25 and 43% oxygen contaminations, respectively. Secondary, the film grown with 10 : 30 s gas feeding time intervals is bixbyite structure indium oxide. Finally, the films are alloying between indium nitride and indium oxide for other growth condition. The fitted radial distribution spectra, the structural parameters and the combination ratios of the alloys are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.