INITIAL-STAGES OF TITANIUM CARBIDE GROWTH BY PLASMA-SPUTTER DEPOSITION ON STAINLESS-STEEL

The chemistry in the initial stage of growth of plasma-sputter deposit ed titanium carbide (TiC) on stainless steel has been investigated as a function of substrate and plasma conditions using X-ray photoelectro n spectroscopy (XPS). In the first stage of the deposition process the plasma-steel interaction results in the formation of free-carbon-like amorphous carbon and polymer-like carbon. We found that the addition of nitrogen (partial pressure two times higher than CH4) in the initia l stages of growth prevents the deposition of free carbon at the inter face by the formation of a nitride interface containing nitrides on th e substrate surface and titanium nitride MN). The synthesis of volatil e hydrogen cyanide (HCN) on the substrate surface prevents the formati on of free carbon. Our observation suggests that the addition of nitro gen during the initial stages of deposition improves the adhesion as w ell as the reproducibility of the adhesion of TiC on stainless steels deposited by reactive sputtering techniques.