Nitrogen incorporation into titanium diboride films deposited by dc magnetron sputtering: Structural modifications

• Published in: Thin solid films 2009-08, Vol.517 (19), p.5683-5688
• Main Authors: Sanchez, C.M.T., Fonseca-Filho, H.D., Maia da Costa, M.E.H., Freire, F.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic force microscopy; Borides; Composition and phase identification; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Mechanical and acoustical properties; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physical properties of thin films, nonelectronic; Physics; Sputtering; Stress; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surface roughness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; X-ray diffraction; X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2009.02.122

This work reports a study of titanium boron nitride (Ti–B–N) films deposited at room temperature by dc magnetron sputtering using a TiB 2 target in different Ar–N 2 gas mixture atmospheres. The influence of the nitrogen partial pressure on the structural, mechanical and tribological properties of these films has been studied. The films were analyzed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in order to determine their chemical composition and atomic density. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to probe the film microstructure and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for the chemical characterization of the film surface. An atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to analyze the surface topography and, when operating in the lateral force mode, for the friction characterization of the films. The XPS results showed that the surface of the films deposited in pure argon atmosphere was composed essentially by Ti and B oxides, while TiB 2, TiB, TiN and BN phases were present in the sputtered Ti–B–N films. Characterization by XRD determined the nanocrystalline nature of the films structure. While internal stress and friction increase upon the nitrogen incorporation, AFM measurements reveal a strong reduction of the surface roughness.