本研究目的在於探討競爭成長理論於氮化釩薄膜織構演變之適用性以及織構對於薄膜機械性質之影響。考量到相似的原子排列，岩鹽結構的氮化釩(200)面可能會隨著BCC結構的釩金屬(110)模板成長，除了競爭成長機制之外，底材金屬的模板效應也可能是一個影響其氮化物織構的重要因子。對於有著(200)到隨機織構的氮化釩薄膜(區域I)，隨著氮氣流量的提升，氮化釩薄膜逐漸由(200)轉變為隨機織構。具有強烈(111)織構的氮化釩薄膜(區域II)則可透過提升氮氣流量和降低鍍膜溫度以及基板偏壓等低能量參數下製備。
區域I的薄膜微結構為具有緻密柱狀晶以及平滑表面的zone T結構，而區域II的薄膜微結構屬於具有鬆散的柱狀晶以及粗糙表面的zone I結構。在區域I的薄膜硬度均超過30 GPa且和織構關係不大，而區域II的硬度相當低且與織構相關，僅有5.7到11.4 GPa。區域I的殘留應力隨著(111)織構係數增加由-5.66 GPa降至-2.66 GPa，而區域II的殘留應力則因為鬆散的結構而大部分被釋放，其值落在-0.44 GPa到0.45 GPa。排除純(111)織構的試片，不足計量比的試片其電阻率均比計量比的試片高，此外鬆散的微結構也會造成電阻率提升。

The purposes of this study were to investigate the applicability of competitive growth theory on the texture evolution of VN thin films and the effect of texture on the mechanical properties of VN thin films. Considering the similarity of atomic configuration, the formation of (200) plane of VN (NaCl structure) may follow the (110) template in vanadium metal (BCC structure). In addition to the competitive growth theory, the template effect due to base metal may be an important factor for the texture evolution of the corresponding transition-metal nitrides. For the VN thin films with texture ranging from (200) to random (region I), the preferred orientation gradually changes from (200) to random texture with increasing nitrogen flow rate. VN thin films with (111)-dominant texture can be deposited with increasing nitrogen flow rate and under low energy conditions with low temperature and low substrate bias.
The microstructure of VN thin films and mechanical properties were divided into two regions according to texture coefficient. The film microstructure in region I belongs to zone T structure with dense columnar structure and smooth surface, while that in region II has zone I structure with loose columnar structure and rough surface. The film hardness of in region I is about 30 GPa and weakly texture-dependent, while that in region II is quite low and texture dependent ranging from 5.7 to 11.4 GPa. The residual stress of films in region I decreases from -5.66 to -2.66 GPa with increasing (111) texture coefficient, while that in region II is mostly relieved due to loose microstructure, ranging from -0.44 to 0.45 GPa. The electrical resistivity of the understoichiometric samples is higher than that of stoichiometric samples except for the sample with (111)-dominant texture. In addition, loose-packed microstructure also causes higher electrical resistivity.

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