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Ion-beam assisted sputtering of titanium nitride thin films
Timothy Draher1,2, Tomas Polakovic3, Juliang Li4
1Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, 60439, USA.
Scientific Reports
|April 18, 2023
Summary
Ion beam-assisted sputtering enhances titanium nitride thin films, increasing critical temperature by 10% for superconducting devices. This method improves material properties without altering lattice structure, offering advantages for advanced applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Thin Film Technology
Background:
- Titanium nitride (TiN) is crucial for superconducting devices like nanowire microwave resonators and photon detectors.
- Controlling TiN thin film growth is essential for optimizing device performance.
- Previous studies on Niobium nitride (NbN) showed enhanced superconducting properties with similar techniques.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of ion beam-assisted sputtering (IBAS) on titanium nitride (TiN) thin films.
- To compare the superconducting critical temperature (Tc) of TiN films grown by IBAS versus conventional DC reactive magnetron sputtering.
- To analyze the influence of film thickness, sheet resistance, and nitrogen flow rate on Tc.
Main Methods:
- Thin films of titanium nitride were fabricated using both DC reactive magnetron sputtering and IBAS.
- Electrical transport measurements were performed to determine superconducting critical temperatures (Tc).
- X-ray diffraction was used for structural characterization of the TiN films.
Main Results:
- The IBAS technique resulted in a 10% increase in the nominal critical temperature (Tc) compared to conventional sputtering.
- No significant variation in the lattice structure was observed between films grown by the two methods.
- Ultra-thin TiN films exhibited suppressed Tc, with deviations from theoretical models observed at low nitrogen concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Ion beam-assisted sputtering is an effective method for enhancing the superconducting critical temperature of titanium nitride thin films.
- The IBAS technique offers improved superconducting properties without compromising the material's structural integrity.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the deviations from theoretical models in ultra-thin TiN films grown at low nitrogen concentrations.
