Tungsten nitride films grown via pulsed laser deposition studied in situ by electron spectroscopies

Tungsten nitride (WNx) films were grown on silicon and glass slide substrates by laser ablating a tungsten target in molecular nitrogen ambient. By in situ Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), the films density, elemental composition and chemical state were determined. Ex situ, the films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Also, the transmittance and resistivity of the film on glass substrates were determined. The results show that the reaction of tungsten and nitrogen is effective; the nitrogen is integrated in the tungsten matrix changing gradually the electronic configuration, chemical states and film properties. Since with this preparation method the obtained films are of high quality, low resistivity and dense, this makes attractive to growth tungsten nitride films for technological applications.