Growth and properties of amorphous Ti–B–Si–N thin films deposited by hybrid HIPIMS/DC-magnetron co-sputtering from TiB2 and Si targets

Abstract

Amorphous nitrides are explored for their homogenous structure and potential use as wear-resistant coatings, beyond their much studied nano-and microcrystalline counterparts. (TiB 2 ) 1−x Si x N thin films were deposited on Si (001) substrates by a hybrid technique of high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) combined with dc magnetron sputtering (DCMS) using TiB 2 and Si targets in a N 2 /Ar atmosphere. By varying the sputtering dc power to the Si target from 200 to 2000 W while keeping the average power to the TiB 2 -target, operated in HIPIMS mode, constant at 4000 W, the Si content in the films increased gradually from x=0.01 to x=0.43. The influence of the Si content on the microstructure, phase constituents, and mechanical properties were systematically investigated. The results show that the microstructure of as-deposited (TiB 2 ) 1−x Si x N films changes from nanocrystalline with 2-4 nm TiN grains for x=0.01 to fully electron diffraction amorphous for x=0.22. With increasing Si content, the hardness of the films increases from 8.5 GPa with x=0.01 to 17.2 GPa with x=0.43.

High temperature behavior of functional TiAlBSiN nanocomposite coatings

“…Bulk ceramics AlN-TiB 2 -TiSi 2 display superior physicomechanical and tribological properties up to 1450°C [32], additionally, Si and B are metalloids which are very effective in stabilizing amorphous phases. Even relatively low concentration of Si can inhibit grain growth and stimulate the renucleation of grains in the presence of bias voltage at the substrate during deposition of TiAiN [33] and TiBN coatings [34]. Furthermore, the addition of small amount of Si significantly improves the thermal stability and oxidation resistance of TiAlN coatings [35].…”

Unintentional carbide formation evidenced during high-vacuum magnetron sputtering of transition metal nitride thin films

“…6 This allows for synthesis of metastable phases with unique properties which paves the ground for heavily researched field. 7 The presence of carbon impurities is regularly confirmed during surface analysis by xray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) in binary and ternary transition metal nitride films grown by PVD techniques such as magnetron sputtering, 8,9,10,11,12,13,14 or cathodic arc evaporation. 15,16,17,18,19,20 Often this is attributed to the post deposition atmosphere exposure and labeled as adventitious carbon adsorbed at the surface and/or at grain boundaries, hence, excluded from the discussion of microstructure -property relationships of the as deposited thin films.…”