The heteroepitaxial growth of TiN on MgO(001), deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering, has been studied in situ. Using real-time specular x-ray reflectivity, layer-by-layer growth was observed, with the surface roughening decreasing with an increase in the deposition temperature. Higher temperatures also resulted in lower growth rates. The film thickness was measured with specular x-ray reflectivity. Using off-plane Bragg-Brentano as well as grazing incidence in-plane wide angle scattering, the pseudomorphic growth of TiN to the underlying MgO(001) was established. Transmission electron microscopy reveals atomic planes passing through the MgO-TiN boundary, thus confirming heteroepitaxial growth.
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