Ti–B–N coatings with stoichiometries corresponding to a region of the phase diagram in which a three phase TiB2+TiN+BN composition is predicted, have been deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. Characterization of the films by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), glancing angle x-ray diffraction (GAXRD), and extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) has been performed to provide information on chemical composition and microstructure. GAXRD and EXAFS have shown the Ti based phases to be dominated by the presence of nanocrystalline TiB2, the grain size of which decreases to an unmeasurably low value with increasing N content. Evidence of TiB2, TiN, and BN bonding is found in the XPS spectra and the inferred phase composition has been found to be in good agreement with that predicted by the phase diagram. From XPS and AES spectra, the BN phase present has been concluded to be of the hexagonal type.

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