REACTION LAYER FORMATION AT THE INTERFACE BETWEEN TI OR ZR AND ALN

Pure AIN substrate was prepared by hot-pressing to eliminate the influ ence of sintering-aid substances on interface reactions. Thin films of Ti or Zr were deposited on pure AIN substrate by egun evaporation. Th ermally induced solid-state reactions of the metal films with the AIN substrate were investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). TiAl3, TiN, and Ti4N3-x, including Ti2N, were formed at the Ti/AIN interface in the temperature range of 600 to 800 degrees C. Only aluminides, including ZrAl3 and ZrAl2, were formed at the Zr/AIN interface at temperatures above 300 degrees C. B oth Ti and Zr reacted with AIN to give a laminate structure and alumin ides were formed adjacent to AIN.