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Published on: July 17, 2015
Structural characterization of TiN/NbN multilayers: X-ray diffraction, energy-filtered TEM and Fresnel contrast
S J Lloyd1, J M Molina-Aldareguia, W J Clegg
1Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University of Cambridge, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK. sjl16@cus.cam.ac.uk
Journal of Microscopy
|February 24, 2005
Summary
Characterizing TiN/NbN multilayers using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed narrow interfaces (< 1 nm). Combined TEM techniques offered more precise quantitative characterization than XRD alone.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Surface Science
Background:
- Multilayer thin films are crucial for various applications, including optics and electronics.
- Accurate characterization of multilayer interfaces and composition is essential for optimizing film performance.
- Titanium nitride (TiN) and niobium nitride (NbN) multilayers are of interest due to their unique properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively characterize TiN/NbN multilayers with different wavelengths (13.6 nm and 6.15 nm).
- To compare the effectiveness and precision of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fresnel contrast analysis (FCA), and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) for multilayer analysis.
- To determine the interface width and composition amplitude of the studied multilayers.
Main Methods:
- X-ray diffraction (XRD) for structural analysis.
- Fresnel contrast analysis (FCA) for determining composition profiles.
- Energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) for high-resolution imaging and elemental mapping.
Main Results:
- Good agreement was found between FCA and EFTEM composition profiles, considering EFTEM's lower resolution.
- Combined TEM techniques (FCA and EFTEM) provided quantitative characterization consistent with XRD.
- TEM techniques offered more precise values for certain parameters compared to XRD.
- The analysis revealed narrow interfaces (< 1 nm) and a composition amplitude of approximately 95% for the longer wavelength multilayer.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates the complementary strengths of XRD, FCA, and EFTEM for comprehensive multilayer characterization.
- TEM techniques, when used together, provide superior quantitative precision for multilayer analysis compared to XRD.
- TiN/NbN multilayers exhibit well-defined, narrow interfaces crucial for their functional properties.
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