Influence of the interface preparation on properties of PECVD TiN

It is known that residual chlorine is a significant drawback for plasma-enh anced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) coatings when chloride is used as pr ecursor. Studies have been conducted on depressing the chlorine fraction in the coating layer yet the results ale somehow plausible. In this study eff ort has been focused on the preparation of the interface. Argon-ion bombard ment is employed at the beginning of the coating process when the coated la yer is less than 100 nm thick. Suddenly stopping the inlet of TiCl4 followe d by high-energy argon-ion bombardment can help the chamber recover to its designated temperature and build up normal plasma intensity. The high-energ y argon ions are also good to density the layer and decrease the residual c hlorine content. The experimental results show that the bonding strength of this process is higher than that of the regular process and the wear resis tance is improved. The increased corrosion resistance is even better than t hat of stainless steel. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.