The fabrication of TiN films by reactive evaporation and rapid thermal annealing

A process for the fabrication of TiN films compatible with GaAs processing has been developed. The process involves the reactive evaporation of TiN films with a substrate temperature below 100 °C, and a subsequent rapid thermal anneal with quartz halogen lamps for periods of 10–30 s at 300–1100 °C. This method minimizes the oxygen content (4%–8%), and, therefore, minimizes both the electrical resistivity of the TiN films, and the thermal degradation of the underlying GaAs substrate. Annealing TiN at 600 °C for 10 s in forming gas yields TiN sheet resistivity of 190 μΩ cm. The lowest resistivity obtained with this process is 40 μΩ cm at 1100 °C.