Abstract
Results of comprehensive structural and microchemical analyses revealed the mechanisms responsible for changing the to competitive growth texture of TiN films when the level of oxygen doping was 20 at.%. It has been shown that the growth competition is related to the different way of segregation-incorporation of the oxygen species on the {001} and {111} crystal faces. Oxygen is preferentially segregated on the {111} crystal face and is growing in the form of a 2D TiO2 surface layer on the growth surface, limiting the growth of oriented crystals. On the {001} faces, however, the major part of condensing oxygen species is dissolved into the crystal lattice and only a part forms TiO2 aggregates. These aggregates have a 3D morphology which do not hinder the growth of oriented crystals. Consequently, the oriented crystals win the growth competition leading to a film structure constituted of V-shaped columns.
•Development of texture is caused by competitive growth of crystals in oxygen doped TiN films.•Competitive growth is due to the growth limitation of oriented crystals by TiO2 tissue phase.•The V-shaped morphology of columns is visualized by PED-Astar technique.•Anisotropic incorporation of oxygen to TiN crystals takes place on different crystal faces.