STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF (TI1-XALX)N FILMS PREPARED BY REACTIVE SPUTTERING

(Ti1-xAlx)N films with several different Ti-to-Al ratios were deposite d on silicon substrates by reactive cosputtering from Ti and Al target s in an Ar-N2 discharge. The crystal structure of the films was found to be cubic B1 type up to 50 mol.% AlN content. With further increase in the Al content, the films of (Ti0.31Al0.69)N and (Ti0.29Al0.71)N we re found to have mixed phases of hexagonal and cubic structures. The ( Ti1-xAlx) N films had a well-developed cubic columnar structure with o pen voids which rendered lower hardness values than for stoichiometric single-crystal TiN.