TY - JOUR
T1 - Ti, Al and N adatom adsorption and diffusion on rocksalt cubic AlN (001) and (011) surfaces: Ab initio calculations
AU - Nita, Florin
AU - C. Mastail, M. David, F. Nita, A. Michel, G. Abadias
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Elsevier B.V.
Copyright:
Copyright 2019 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2017/11/30
Y1 - 2017/11/30
N2 - We use ab initio calculations to determine the preferred nucleation sites and migration pathways of Ti, Al and N adatoms on cubic NaCl-structure (B1) AlN surfaces, primary inputs towards a further thin film growth modelling of the TiAlN alloy system. The potential energy landscape is mapped out for both metallic species and nitrogen adatoms for two different AlN surface orientations, (001) and (110), using density functional theory. For all species, the adsorption energies on AlN(011) surface are larger than on AlN(001) surface. Ti and Al adatom adsorption energy landscapes determined at 0 K by ab initio show similar features, with stable binding sites being located in, or near, epitaxial surface positions, with Ti showing a stronger binding compared to Al. In direct contrast, N adatoms (N
ad) adsorb preferentially close to N surface atoms (N
surf), thus forming strong N
2-molecule-like bonds on both AlN(001) and (011). Similar to N
2 desorption mechanisms reported for other cubic transition metal nitride surfaces, in the present work we investigate N
ad/N
surf desorption on AlN(011) using a drag calculation method. We show that this process leaves a N
surf vacancy accompanied with a spontaneous surface reconstruction, highlighting faceting formation during growth.
AB - We use ab initio calculations to determine the preferred nucleation sites and migration pathways of Ti, Al and N adatoms on cubic NaCl-structure (B1) AlN surfaces, primary inputs towards a further thin film growth modelling of the TiAlN alloy system. The potential energy landscape is mapped out for both metallic species and nitrogen adatoms for two different AlN surface orientations, (001) and (110), using density functional theory. For all species, the adsorption energies on AlN(011) surface are larger than on AlN(001) surface. Ti and Al adatom adsorption energy landscapes determined at 0 K by ab initio show similar features, with stable binding sites being located in, or near, epitaxial surface positions, with Ti showing a stronger binding compared to Al. In direct contrast, N adatoms (N
ad) adsorb preferentially close to N surface atoms (N
surf), thus forming strong N
2-molecule-like bonds on both AlN(001) and (011). Similar to N
2 desorption mechanisms reported for other cubic transition metal nitride surfaces, in the present work we investigate N
ad/N
surf desorption on AlN(011) using a drag calculation method. We show that this process leaves a N
surf vacancy accompanied with a spontaneous surface reconstruction, highlighting faceting formation during growth.
KW - Adatom adsorption
KW - DFT calculations
KW - Diffusion pathways
KW - TiAlN thin film growth
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85021110392&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.06.179
DO - 10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.06.179
M3 - Article
SN - 0169-4332
VL - 423
SP - 354
EP - 364
JO - Applied Surface Science
JF - Applied Surface Science
ER -