Characterization of epitaxial transformation phenomena induced by the interaction of implanted N-ions with Ti thin films

Kasukabe, Yoshitaka*; Shimoda, Hiroyuki*; Chen, Y.*; Yamamoto, Shunya; Yoshikawa, Masahito; Fujino, Yutaka*

Epitaxial transformation phenomena of titanium films due to Nitrogen-implantation have been clarified through in-situ observations by using transmission electron microscope(TEM)and electron energy loss spectroscope (EELS), along with molecular orbital calculations. The N ions with 62 keV are implanted into as-deposited Ti films which consist of hcp-Ti and TiH with preferred orientations, in the 400 kV analytic high resolution TEM combined with ion accelerators at JAEA Takasaki. The result of EELS measurements indicates that the hcp-fcc transformation occurs preferentially above a critical concentration ratio, N/Ti 0.25. This means that above the N/Ti 0.25, the invasion of implanted N atom to the N-unoccupied octahedral site in the neighboring unit cell next to the N-occupied one in hcp-Ti occurs preferentially, and induces the growth of nucleus of the hcp-fcc transformation.