Oxidation and chemical state analysis of polycrystalline magnetron sputtered (Ti,Al)N films at ambient and liquid N-2 temperatures

In order to improve the functional properties of hard coatings, recent inve stigations have been directed towards Ti-N based multicomponent materials. The nitride (Ti, Al)N, in particular, with a Ti:Al ratio of 1:1 seems to be a promising alternative to the widely used TiN, exhibits better oxidation resistance and hence improved performance over that of TiN. (Ti, Al)N coati ngs were de sputter deposited onto 316SS substrates under ambient and liqui d nitrogen temperatures. As deposited films were oxidized in a vertical fus ed-silica tube furnace in pure O-2 flowing atmosphere at temperatures rangi ng from 700 to 900 degrees C. Scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope images reveal information about the particle size and film thic kness. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was employed to study the chemistry of the cop few atomic layers in addition to compositional analysis and inf ormation on the details of chemical bonding, The difference in film stoichi ometry are compared at two different deposition conditions thus reflecting their behavior under oxidizing conditions. (C) 2000 American Vacuum Society . [S0734-2101(00)06203-7].