Wide Color Variation in SiNO Thin Films Dispersed with Precipitated TiN Nano Particles

摘要

Amorphous thin films of Ti_(1-y),Si_y(N,C)) with y ≥ 0.38 were prepared by reactive sputter deposition in a nitrogen atmosphere. Thermal annealing of the films in an ammonia flow above 800℃ yielded Si(N,O) amorphous thin films dispersed with precipitated TiN nanosized particles. The film color changed with Si content y and the annealing conditions, from carrot orange to cream yellow in the as-deposited films due to their oxynitride nature, and from dark green to canary yellow and from iron blue to horizon blue at respective annealing temperatures of 800℃ and 900℃ due to metallic nature of the TiN nanosized particles precipitated in the annealing.