Titanium-based films deposited using a Nd : YAG pulsed laser

Complex examinations were performed of the structure of films of metallic t itanium, titanium nitride and titanium oxide deposited by means of PLD with a Nd:YAG laser. The influence of the deposition parameters on the film mor phology was examined. The films revealed a nanostructure of good quality. A new tetragonal Ti(N) phase was revealed in the deposition of metallic tita nium in a reactive chamber with an argon atmosphere. The TiN phase was form ed during deposition of titanium nitride, independently of the nitrogen flo w in the chamber. The transition of oxides from Ti2O via TiO to TiO2 was ob served with an increasing flow of oxygen in the chamber for deposition of t itanium oxide. TEM examinations of the microstructure in cross-sections of the film revealed a micro- columnar structure. All the examined films were characterised by at strong axial crystallographic preferred orientation on the basis of the measured pole figures. The [001] axial texture was identif ied within the deposited metallic titanium for the Ti(N) tetragonal phase a s well as for the TiO oxide, while the (111) texture was observed in the ca se of TiN nitride. Measurements of the residual stresses of the first order in the TiN phase, by using the X-ray sin(2) psi method, showed stress leve ls of -5000 to -7000 MPa. The residual stresses measured in the substrate o f ferritic steel were about -150 MPa.