Study of Niobium Nitride Films Produced by DC Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

Niobium nitride films were prepared onto unheated GaAs and SiO₂ substrates by dc reactive magnetron sputtering from a niobium metal target in an Ar + N₂ mixed atmosphere. During deposition, the nitrogen content in the gas mixture was varied from 0 to 20%. The effects of the different nitrogen content and high-temperature annealing (with annealing temperatures ranging from 850 to 950 °C) on the composition, structural and electrical properties of the films were studied using Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and resistivity measurement. The correlations between technological parameters and film properties, structure and composition were established.