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Typical titanium oxide (TiO2) films are transparent in the visible range, allowing for their index of refraction and thickness to be extracted by single-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) using a Cauchy model. However, TiO2 films grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD) from tetrakis(dimethylamino)titanium (IV) (TDMAT) and H2O at 350 °C absorb in the visible range due to the formation of Ti-O-N/Ti-N bonds. Single-angle SE is inadequate for extracting the optical constants of these films, as there are more unknowns (n, k, d) than measurable parameters (ψ, Δ). To overcome this limitation, we combined SE with transmission (T) measurements, a method known as SE + T. In the process, we developed an approach to prevent backside deposition on quartz substrates during ALD deposition. When applying a B-spline model to SE + T data, the film thicknesses on the quartz substrates closely matched those on companion Si samples measured via standard lithography. The resulting optical constants indicate a reduced refractive index, n, and increased extinction coefficient, k, when compared to purer TiO2 thin films deposited via a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method, reflecting the influence of nitrogen incorporation on the optical properties.
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This content will become publicly available on September 5, 2026
Simplifying in vacuo optical measurements of CVD processes using vacuum-compatible optical fibers
In situ optical measurements during chemical vapor deposition processes can offer insight into the chemical reactions and electronic phenomena that are occurring during a process. However, the tooling to make these measurements can be complex, difficult to align, and may even require a redesign of the entire vacuum deposition chamber. Herein, we present a setup that allows for in situ optical measurements using vacuum-compatible fiber optics that only requires a singular conflat feedthrough, eliminating the need for optical viewports and alignment of external light sources/detectors. Proof of performance is shown with a neutral density filter and an exemplary application of vapor doping a conjugated polymer (poly-3-hexylthiophene) using vapor-phase TiCl4.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1954809
- PAR ID:
- 10634305
- Publisher / Repository:
- AIP Publishing
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of vacuum science and technology B Nanotechnology microelectronics
- Volume:
- 43
- ISSN:
- 2166-2754
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 055001
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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