Study of Zirconium Nitride Thin Films on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite
Open Access
- Author:
- Ritter, Sebastian
- Graduate Program:
- Nuclear Engineering
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- November 13, 2020
- Committee Members:
- Leigh Winfrey, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Arthur Thompson Motta, Committee Member
Marek Flaska, Committee Member
Jean Paul Allain, Program Head/Chair - Keywords:
- ZrN
Deposition
HOPG
Zirconium Nitride - Abstract:
- Zirconium nitride thin films are deposited on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite and silicon (100) substrates using radio frequency reactive sputtering deposition at a substrate temperature of 25 °C. A zirconium target is sputtered with a nitrogen partial pressure of 10 mTor and a 124V DC substrate bias voltage. Deposited zirconium nitride thin films are qualitatively analyzed. Thin film morphology is analyzed using optical profilometry, atomic force microscopy in tapping mode, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Microstructure characterization of thin films is conducted using grazing incidence x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Film thicknesses of 85 nm to 460 nm are achieved. Zirconium nitride thin films are observed to show a preferential (111) orientation with increasing deposition time. A ZrO2 layer is found at the thin film surface. No statistically significant change in zirconium nitride grain size is found near the film-substrate interface with increasing deposition time. Thin film buckling is observed. An exponential growth in the size of buckles as a function of deposition time is observed. The zirconium nitride lattice parameter is measured via x-ray diffraction and via transmission electron microscopy for three different thin film thicknesses. The lattice parameter is found to be within literature values and no statically significant lattice strain is observed.