Role of substrate and deposition conditions on the texture evolution of titanium nitride thin film on bare and plasma-nitrided high-speed steel

Titanium nitride (TiN) films are prepared by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering of a titanium (Ti) target in anargon (Ar) + nitrogen (N2) atmosphere on bare and pulsed DC plasma-nitrided high-speed steel (AISI M2) substrate.One set of coating is deposited using different N2 partial pressures keeping the working pressure fixed, and it leadsto variable film thickness. Another set of coating of equal thickness is prepared at the same working pressure withvariable substrate biasing voltage. The detailed structure of the coatings is analyzed by X-ray diffraction study. Thetexture coefficient (Tc) determined from X-ray diffraction studies at various deposition conditions gives informationabout crystallographic orientation. It is found that the same deposition condition leads to different orientation ofTiN coatings on bare AISI M2 and plasma-nitrided AISI M2 substrate. The results are discussed in terms of energyminimization and substrate-induced preferred orientation.

کلیدواژه ها:

Magnetron sputtering ، Argon nitrogen plasma ، X-ray diffraction study ، Texture coefficient