Thin Film Synthesis of Ti₃SiC₂ by Rapid Thermal Processing of Magnetron‐Sputtered TiCSi Multilayer Systems

Abstract

The ternary compound Ti 3 SiC 2 has a nanolaminated structure and belongs to the class of M nþ1 AX n phases. MAX phases have a high potential to be used as high temperature contacts on different substrates. They combine metallic and ceramic properties, like relative high electrical conductivity and high oxidation resistance, due to their nanolaminated structure. In the last 20 years there were several attempts to reduce the formation temperature of MAX phases by different sputtering techniques. Eklund et al. [1] mentioned that thin film processing and the growth of 3-1-2 MAX phases such as Ti 3 SiC 2 , Ti 3 GeC 2 and Ti 3 AlC 2 require high synthesis temperatures in the range of 800-1000 8C due to the diffusion length in large unit cells. In fact, Ti 3 SiC 2 thin films were synthesized by magnetron sputtering techniques from elemental targets (titanium, silicon, carbon, or evaporated C 60 ), but at relative high deposition temperatures in the range from 750 to 900 8C. [2][3][4][5][6][7] Furthermore, Ti 3 SiC 2 films deposited by magnetron sputtering by using a stoichiometric target showed good results concerning the phase formation in a temperature range of 850-900 8C. [5,8] These deposition temperatures are, however, relatively high and the exposure time for the substrate is about 1-5 h, depending on the deposition conditions and the used targets. [2][3][4][5][6][7] Other attempts of depositing thin films of MAX phases include the pulsed laser deposition from Cr 2 AlC-and Ti 3 SiC 2 -compound targets as shown by Lange et al. and Schaaf et al. [9][10][11] Due to the ability of this deposition technique to form particle species with higher energies and even to transfer complex target stoichiometries compared to the magnetron sputtering method, the pulsed laser deposition can decrease the formation temperature and a low temperature exposure to the substrate.In this work, the rapid synthesis of Ti 3 SiC 2 with a low temperature input to the substrate is studied by a multilayer system, which was sputter deposited onto two different substrates utilizing the elemental targets titanium, carbon and silicon.

Ti3SiC2-formation during Ti–C–Si multilayer deposition by magnetron sputtering at 650 °C

“…Emmerlich [19] obtained Ti 3 SiC 2 by reactive magnetron cosputtering from three elemental targets at 750 °C, however, with competitive TiC y growth. Most recently it was shown [21] that multilayer magnetron sputtered Ti-C-Si system deposited at room temperature onto silicon with native oxide can be annealed at 1000 °C in rapid thermal annealing system with 0 s holding time and converted into Ti 3 SiC 2 MAX phase.…”

Tribological behavior of selected Mn+1AXn phase thin films on silicon substrates

“…Another approach of thin film MAX phase synthesis is the multilayer synthesis approach depositing elemental multilayer by magnetron sputtering at room temperature and subsequent rapid thermal annealing as used in this work [20][21][22]. Furthermore, depositing of multilayer systems at elevated temperatures [23], and longer thermal processing [24,25] was applied.…”

“…Due to their interesting property combination MAX phase materials are promising as surfaces in electrical sliding contacts or other tribological systems used in thermal or chemical aggressive environments. As the applied thin film syntheses are based on the deposition of elemental multilayers and subsequent annealing [20][21][22], also the sliding properties of the deposited multilayers were investigated to gain information about the influence of the annealing process and the formation of the MAX phases on the tribological properties. In this paper experimental results on the tribological behavior of the thin films against the counterpart material 1.3505 are presented.…”

Ion sputter-deposition and in-air crystallisation of Cr2AlC films

“…In particular, using dc magnetron sputtering from a compound target, Walter et al [8] have reported formation of single-phase Cr 2 AlC thin films on stainless steel substrates heated at temperatures around 650ºC. However it is clear that, from an industrial viewpoint, deposition at high temperatures is less attractive than deposition without additional heating (cold deposition) followed by annealing to promote crystallisation and true MAX phase state.Rapid thermal annealing has been successfully shown to create a MAX phase after deposition at low temperature [21]. One also needs to bear in mind that "cold" PVD while not achieving a nanolaminated atomic structure would create an almost amorphous bonding network.…”

“…Rapid thermal annealing has been successfully shown to create a MAX phase after deposition at low temperature [21]. One also needs to bear in mind that "cold" PVD while not achieving a nanolaminated atomic structure would create an almost amorphous bonding network.…”