Titanium and titanium nitride thin films grown by dc reactive magnetron sputtering Physical Vapor Deposition in a continuous mode on stainless steel wires: Chemical, morphological and structural investigations

摘要

Ti and TiN thin films (50-140 nm thick) are grown by dc reactive magnetron sputtering PVD in an inverted cylindrical magnetron (ICM) thanks to an original industrial process corresponding to a continuous reactive deposition on moving stainless steel wires. Thin films are fully characterized by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy and Orientation Phase Mapping. The stoichiometry of TiN is adjusted thanks to N-2 flow. At the beginning of poisoned mode, golden stoichiometric TiN thin films are obtained. In the metallic mode, greyish TiN, films are grown whereas at higher N-2 flow, TiNxOy films are synthetized with preferential O incorporation instead of N enrichment Grain orientation maps reveal that Ti and TiN thin films are highly polycrystalline: Ti films have an equiaxis morphology whereas TiN thin films have a tendency to present < 111 > columnar grains with < 001 > oriented grains at the nucleation step. Finally, a low temperature of growth (of about 350 degrees C and <650 degrees C) is needed in order to prevent chemical diffusion from the stainless steel substrate into the rich-titanium films. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.