The influence of N2 flow rate and substrate temperature on Ti1‐xAlxN thin films

Titanium aluminium nitride (Ti_1‐xAl_xN) films have been deposited on silicon (111) substrate at a N₂ flow rate of 2 sccm and 20 sccm and at a substrate temperature of 773 K and at a N₂ flow rate of 2 sccm and at a substrate temperature of 873 K by reactive DC magnetron sputtering technique. The effect of N₂ flow rate and substrate temperature on the grain size and surface roughness of the deposited films have been investigated. The films have been analysed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The films were found to be nanocrystalline. While the grain size of the films decreases with increasing N₂ flow rate and decreases with increasing substrate temperature, the surface roughness of the films decreases with increasing N₂ flow rate and increases with increasing temperature. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)