US EPA

478732 

Journal Article 

Plasma deposition processes for nanocomposite TiN/SiNx coatings 

Haug, FJ; Patscheider, J 

2005 

58 

6 

957-963 

English 

Refractory transition metal nitrides like TiN show outstanding mechanical properties and high hardness which lead to their wide use as coating materials for wear protection. In most cases, such coatings are deposited by plasma processes because they allow for comparatively low deposition temperatures. Furthermore, freedom in the choice of the deposition parameters makes it possible to improve the elastic and plastic properties by influencing crystal quality, grain size, texture, stress, etc. The formation of composite materials has become another attractive path for the development of new or enhanced properties, composites consisting of crystallites with typical sizes in the 10 run regime and amorphous phases often show effects which go far beyond simple rules of mixture. Due to their nanostructure a certain composition range of TiN/Si3N4 nanocomposites exhibits extraordinary hardness which exceeds those of TiN and Si3N4, and even approaches the values of the hardest known materials. These nanocomposites can be deposited by PACVD, UBM-PVD, and arc PVD processes. Aspects of these deposition methods are described and properties of nanocomposite films are discussed. 

chemical-vapor-deposition; si-n films; tin thin-films; mechanical-properties; sputtering techniques; oxidation resistance; ti1-xsixny films; titanium nitride; arc deposition; hybrid process