Consideration of deformation of TiN thin films with preferred orientation prepared by ion-beam-assisted deposition

Plastic deformation of TiN thin films with (111) and (200) preferred orient ation was determined based on their hardness anisotropy. Hardness was measu red by means of the nano-indentation technique. Plastic deformation of TiN films was caused by the indentation of the trigonal diamond tip, and eviden ce of this phenomenon was provided by cross-sectional scanning electron mic roscopy (SEM) observation and transmission electron diffraction (TED) analy sis. The influence of the differences in residual stress and grain size on hardness anisotropy was restrictive, and hardness anisotropy can be explain ed by the anisotropy of yield stress as calculated using Schmid's law. This relationship suggests the existence of a {100}(110) slip system in the TiN crystal. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation of brittle cra cks in TiN films confirmed that these cracks are caused not by cleavage fra ctures but by intergranular fractures.