The bonding and electronic structure of TiN thin films grown by sputtering have been characterized by means of resonant photoemission spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation. Specifically we found a complex resonance profile that exhibits a maximum at 45 eV followed by a second structure at 50 eV. The intensity enhancement observed at 45 and 50 eV is consistent with the resonant photoemission of the Ti $3d$ states involved in the valence band of TiN and the multiplet configuration of the $[\mathrm{Ti}{3p}^5{3d}^2{]}^{*}$ excited states. The autoionizing character of the $[\mathrm{Ti}{3p}^5{3d}^2{]}^{*}$ states could also be confirmed by observation of the corresponding autoionization emission. The resonance is used to determine the Ti $3d$ contribution to the valence band. The results are in good agreement with calculated Ti $3d$ partial density of states.

• Received 12 April 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.63.075403