Influence of Sputtering Pressure on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of Nanocomposite Ti-Si-N Thin Films

Abstract

Abstract:

Nanocomposite Ti-Si-N thin films have been deposited on Si (100) substrate by direct current/radio frequency (DC/RF) magnetron sputtering. The effect of varying deposition parameters on the structure and mechanical properties of Ti-Si-N films has been investigated by characterization techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and nanoindentation, respectively. XRD analysis of the thin films exhibit all (111), (200) and (220) peaks initially with varying sputtering pressure, but (111) peak dominates at higher sputtering pressure. The crystallite size calculated from XRD peaks shows that it increases with increasing sputtering pressure. Microstructural analysis reveals that the dense blurred grains transform into uniform grains in the films and shows porosity with increasing sputtering pressure. The surface roughness of the Ti-Si-N films increases with varying sputtering pressure. The hardness and Young0s modulus values of Ti-Si-N films are 33.7 and 278.6 GPa, respectively, with 0.7 Pa sputtering pressure but it decreases with further increase in sputtering pressure due to an increase in porosity of the films.

Key words: Ti-Si-N films, Nanoindentation, Microstructural characterization

Vipin Chawla R. Jayaganthan Ramesh Chandra. Influence of Sputtering Pressure on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of Nanocomposite Ti-Si-N Thin Films[J]. J Mater Sci Technol, 2010, 26(8): 673-678.

References

[1 ] A. Horling, L. Hultman, M. Oden, J. Sjolen and L. Karlsson: Surf. Coat. Technol., 2005, 191, 384.
[2 ] M. Tamura and T. Tokunaga: Surf. Coat. Technol.,1998, 109, 551.
[3 ] D. Martinez-Martinez, J. Sanchez-Lopez, T. Rojas, A. Fernandez, P. Eaton and M. Belin: Thin Solid Films, 2005, 472, 64.
[4 ] C. Rebholz, H. Ziegele, A. Leyland and A. Matthews: J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 1998, 16, 2851.
[5 ] D. Jung, H. Kim, G. Lee, B. Park, J. Lee and J. Joo: Surf. Coat. Technol., 2003, 174, 638.
[6 ] Y. Xu, L. Li , X. Cai and P.K. Chu: Surf. Coat. Technol., 2007, 201, 6824.
[7 ] T.Z.J. Patscheider and M. Diserens: Surf. Coat. Technol., 2001, 146{147, 201.
[8 ] F. Vaz, L. Rebouta, R. da Silva, M. da Silva and J. Soares: Vacuum, 1999, 52, 209.
[9 ] F. Vaz, L. Rebouta, B. Almeida, P. Goudeau, J. Pacaud, J.P. Riviere and J. Bessa e Sousa: Surf. Coat. Technol., 1999, 120-121, 166.
[10] L. Rebouta, C.J. Tavares, R. Aimo, Z. Wang, K. Pischow, E. Alves, T.C. Rojas and J.A. Odriozola: Surf. Coat. Technol., 2000, 133-134, 234.
[11] S. Veprek and S. Reiprich: Thin Solid Films, 1995, 268, 64.
[12] S. Christiansen, M. Albrecht, H.P. Strunk and S. Veprek: J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B, 1998, 16, 19.
[13] P.M. Smith and J.S. Custer: Appl. Phys. Lett., 1997, 70, 3116.
[14] A. Niederhofer, P. Nesladek, H.D. Mannling, S. Veprek and M. Jilek: Surf. Coat. Technol., 1999, 120{121, 173.
[15] T. Hirai and S. Hayashi: J. Mater. Sci., 1982, 17, 1320.
[16] L. Shizhi, S. Yulong and P. Hongrui: Plasma Chem. Plasma Process., 1992, 12, 287.
[17] S. Veprek, P. Nesladek, A. Niederhofer, F. Glatz, M. Jilek and M. Sima: Surf. Coat. Technol., 1998, 108-109, 138.
[18] S. Veprek, S. Reiprich and L. Shizhi: Appl. Phys. Lett., 1995, 66, 2640.
[19] X. Sun, J. Reid, E. Kolawa, M.A. Nicolet and R. Ruiz: J. Appl. Phys., 1997, 81(2), 664.
[20] J.S. Reid, X. Sun, E. Kolawa and M.A. Nicolet: IEEE Electron Device Lett., 1994, 15, 298.
[21] L. Rebouta, F. Vaz, M. Andritschky and M.F. Silva: Surf. Coat. Technol., 1995, 76-77, 70.
[22] F. Vaz, L. Rebouta, S. Ramos, M.F. da Silva and J.C. Soares: Surf. Coat. Technol., 1998, 108{109, 236.
[23] M. Diserens, J. Patscheider and F. Levy: Surf. Coat. Technol., 1998, 108{109, 241.
[24] M. Diserens, J. Patscheider and F. Levy: Surf. Coat. Technol., 1999, 120{121, 158.
[25] J. Musil, H. Jankovcova and V. Cibulka: Czech. J. Phys., 1999, 49, 359.
[26] K.H. Kim, S.R. Choi and S.Y. Yoon: Surf. Coat. Technol., 2002, 161, 243.
[27] F. Mei, N. Shao, X. Hu, G. Li and M. Gu: Mater. Lett., 2005, 59, 2442.
[28] N. Jiang, Y.G. Shen, Y.W. Mai, T. Chan and S.C. Tung: Mater. Sci. Eng. B, 2004, 106, 163.
[29] S.H. Kim, J.K. Kim and K.H. Kim: Thin Solid Films, 2002, 420{421, 360.
[30] J.M. Cairney, M.J. Ho甿an, P.R. Munroe, P.J. Martin and A. Bendavi: Thin Solid Films, 2005, 479, 193.
[31] B.D. Cullity and S.R. Stock: Elements of X-ray Diffraction, 2nd edn, Prentice Hall, New York, 2001.
[32] R. Chandra, A.K. Chawla, D. Kaur and P. Ayyub: Nanotechnology, 2005, 16, 3053.
[33] L.I. Maissel and R. Glang: Handbook of Thin Film Technology, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1970, 1.
[34] J.H. Huang, K.W. Lau and G.P. Yu: Surf. Coat. Technol., 2005, 191, 17.
[35] S.C. Tjong and H. Chen: Mater. Sci. Eng. R, 2004, 45, 1.

[1]	Jincheng Wang, Yujing Liu, Chirag Dhirajlal Rabadia, Shun-Xing Liang, Timothy Barry Sercombe, Lai-Chang Zhang. Microstructural homogeneity and mechanical behavior of a selective laser melted Ti-35Nb alloy produced from an elemental powder mixture [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2021, 61(0): 221-233.
[2]	Chaoyang Wang, Shengli Zhu, Yanqin Liang, Zhenduo Cui, Shuilin Wu, Chunling Qin, Shuiyuan Luo, Akihisa Inoue. Understanding the macroscopical flexibility/fragility of nanoporous Ag: Depending on network connectivity and micro-defects [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2020, 53(0): 91-101.
[3]	Haoqing Li, Ming Wang, Dianjun Lou, Weilong Xia, Xiaoying Fang. Microstructural features of biomedical cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) alloy from powder bed fusion to aging heat treatment [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2020, 45(0): 146-156.
[4]	Wenyin Xue, Jinhua Zhou, Yongfeng Shen, Weina Zhang, Zhenyu Liu. Micromechanical behavior of a fine-grained China low activation martensitic (CLAM) steel [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2019, 35(9): 1869-1876.
[5]	T. Sapanathan, N. Jimenez-Mena, I. Sabirov, M.A. Monclús, J.M. Molina-Aldareguía, P. Xia, L. Zhao, A. Simar. A new physical simulation tool to predict the interface of dissimilar aluminum to steel welds performed by friction melt bonding [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2019, 35(9): 2048-2057.
[6]	Shao-Ping Wang, Jian Xu. Incipient plasticity and activation volume of dislocation nucleation for TiZrNbTaMo high-entropy alloys characterized by nanoindentation [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2019, 35(5): 812-816.
[7]	Hui Guo, Suode Zhang, Wenhai Sun, Jianqiang Wang. Differences in dry sliding wear behavior between HVAF-sprayed amorphous steel and crystalline stainless steel coatings [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2019, 35(5): 865-874.
[8]	L.R. Zeng, H.L. Chen, X. Li, L.M. Lei, G.P. Zhang. Influence of alloy element partitioning on strength of primary α phase in Ti-6Al-4V alloy [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2018, 34(5): 782-787.
[9]	Zhang Lihua, Lan Jianbo, Yang Jianyu, Guo Shenghui, Peng Jinhui, Zhang Libo, Zhou Chaojin, Ju Shaohua. Facile Synthesis of Nanocrystal Tin Oxide Hollow Microspheres by Microwave-Assisted Spray Pyrolysis Method [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2017, 33(8): 874-878.
[10]	Guo Hui, Jiang Chuanbin, Yang Baijun, Wang Jianqiang. Deformation behavior of Al-rich metallic glasses under nanoindentation [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2017, 33(11): 1272-1277.
[11]	Abdur-Rasheed Alao, Ling Yin. Assessment of Elasticity, Plasticity and Resistance to Machining-induced Damage of Porous Pre-sintered Zirconia Using Nanoindentation Techniques [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2016, 32(5): 402-410.
[12]	Je Jo Won,Ahn Hee-Jun,Hyoung Kim Jong,Kwon Dongil. Fracture Characteristics of Frit Bonding through In-Situ Nano-Indentation Testing [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2016, 32(11): 1204-1210.
[13]	A. Barroso-Bogeat , M. Alexandre-Franco, C. Fern, ndez-Gonz, lez, V. G, mez-Serrano. Preparation and Microstructural Characterization of Activated Carbon-Metal Oxide Hybrid Catalysts: New Insights into Reaction PathsA. [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2015, 31(8): 806-814.
[14]	Xiaoli Cui, Yuying Wu, Xiangfa Liu. Microstructural Characterization and Mechanical Properties of VB₂/A390 Composite Alloy [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2015, 31(10): 1027-1033.
[15]	Ankur Gupta, Swetha Barkam, Debrupa Lahiri, R. Balasubramaniam, Kantesh Balani. Effect of Alumina Dispersion on Microstructural and Nanomechanical Properties of Pulse Electrodeposited Nickel-Alumina Composite Coatings [J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2014, 30(8): 808-813.