Unprecedented Thermal Stability of Plasmonic Titanium Nitride Films up to 1400 °C

Titanium nitride (TiN) has emerged as one of the most promising refractory materials for plasmonic and photonic applications at high temperatures due to its prominent optical properties along with mechanical and thermal stability. From a high temperature standpoint, TiN is a substitution for Au and Ag in the visible to near-infrared wavelength range, with potential applications including thermophotovoltaics, thermoplasmonics, hot-electron and high temperature reflective coatings. However, the optical properties and thermal stability of TiN films strongly depend on the growth conditions, such as temperature, partial pressure of the reactive ion gas, ion energy, and substrate orientation. In this work, epitaxial TiN films are grown at 835 degrees C on an Al2O3 substrate using a radio frequency sputtering method. The oxidization behavior of TiN is investigated at 1000 degrees C under a medium vacuum condition of 2 x 10(-3) mbar, which is relevant for practical technical applications, and the thermal stability at 1400 degrees C under a high vacuum condition of 2 x 10(-6) mbar. The TiN film structure shows an unprecedented structural stability at 1000 degrees C for a minimum duration of 2 h under a medium vacuum condition, and an exceptional thermal stability at 1400 degrees C, for 8 h under a high vacuum condition, without any protective coating layer. The work reveals, for the first time to the authors' knowledge, that the TiN film structure with columnar grains exhibits remarkable thermal stability at 1400 degrees C due to low-index interfaces and twin boundaries. These findings unlock the fundamental understanding of the TiN material at extreme temperatures and demonstrate a key step towards fabricating thermally stable photonic/plasmonic devices for harsh environments.

Automated summary

Titanium nitride (TiN) has emerged as a promising refractory material for plasmonic and photonic applications at high temperatures due to its optical properties and stability. The growth conditions significantly affect the optical properties and thermal stability of TiN films. This study demonstrates the exceptional thermal stability of the TiN film structure under specific conditions, suggesting potential for fabricating stable photonic/plasmonic devices in harsh environments.