AVS 51st International Symposium
    Nanometer-scale Science and Technology Tuesday Sessions
       Session NS-TuP

Paper NS-TuP23
Electronic and Ionic Processes in Local Oxidation of Titanium Nitride Thin Films

Tuesday, November 16, 2004, 4:00 pm, Room Exhibit Hall B

Session: Poster Session
Presenter: N. Farkas, The University of Akron
Authors: N. Farkas, The University of Akron
J.R. Comer, The University of Akron
G. Zhang, The University of Akron
E.A. Evans, The University of Akron
R.D. Ramsier, The University of Akron
J.A. Dagata, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Correspondent: Click to Email
We report an apparently unique property of titanium and titanium nitride thin films to undergo local oxidation or vaporization during scanning probe microscope (SPM)-based lithography. Nanometer-scale oxide dots or holes can be produced reliably depending on reversible SPM tip preparation. The presence of an electron-blocking tip oxide results in oxide growth on the substrate, while its absence leads to electronic breakdown. Both tip conditions can be obtained in a sequential and reversible manner. Electron emission is investigated using a variety of metallic and semiconducting SPM tips. Changing the nitrogen content of the deposition plasma over a wide range alters structural and electrical properties of the substrate materials and provides a basis for understanding the underlying processes, which we characterize by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), SPM roughness, and four-point probe measurements. This work contributes to a better understanding of the electronic and ionic components of the total current during SPM-assisted oxidation and demonstrates that this technique can be used to both modify and to characterize materials on the nanometer scale.