Effect of rapid thermal annealing on Ti–AlN interfaces

The interface diffusion, reaction, and adherence of rapid thermal annealed TirALN were investigated by RBS, AES, SIMS, XRD and a scratch test. The experimental results show that diffusion and reaction occurs at the interface of TirAlN when the sample is rapidly annealed. During annealing, both the O adsorbed on the surface and doped in the AlN substrate diffuse into the Ti film. At low temperature TiO2 is produced. At higher temperature O reacts with the diffused Al in the Ti film and produces an Al2O3 layer in the middle of the film. N diffuses into the Ti film and produces TiN with an interface reaction. Ti oxide is produced at the interface between the film and the substrate. Scratch test results show that interface adherence is distinctly improved by rapid annealing at low temperature and decreases at higher temperature. q1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.