FORMATION OF TI-AL-N FILMS BY AN ACTIVATE D REACTIVE EVAPORATION (ARE) METHOD

Ti-Al-N films were deposited using an activated reactive evaporation ( ARE) method with single vapor source of Ti-Al alloys. The behavior of some species excited and ionized in the plasma and a relationship betw een these reacting species and important operating parameters of ARE s uch as a probe voltage were investigated by optical emission spectrosc opy(OES) and mass spectrometry(MS). The films were characterized by XR D, EPMA and AES. A high temperature oxidation of Ti-Al-N films were st udied in air at temperatures from 600 to 1000 degrees C. The results w ere summarized as follows. (1) Each of emission lines from titanium, a luminum and nitrogen by OES could be detected without interferences. ( 2) Since TiN+ was observed by MS during TiN and Ti-Al-N film formation , TM was considered to be synthesized in the plasma. (3) The Ti/Al rat ios of Ti-Al-N films analyzed by EPMA showed a good correlation to the Ti/Al ratios monitored by OES and MS respectively. (4) The resistivit y to oxidation of Ti-Al-N films increased with increasing Al content i n the films.