Influence of substrate bias on the structure and properties of (Ti,Al)N films deposited by filtered cathodic vacuum are

(Ti, Al)N films were deposited by an off-plane, double-bend, filtered catho dic vacuum are technique in Nz atmosphere at room temperature. The (Ti, Al) N films deposited an atomically smooth. The influence of substrate negative bias at the wide range (0-1000 V) on the deposition rate, surface morpholo gy, crystal structure, internal stress, and mechanical properties of (Ti, A l)N films were systematically studied. Increasing substrate bias results in the decrease of deposition rate and the increase of surface roughness mono tonically. At the bias of 0 V, (Ti, Al)N films are amorphous, and the inter nal stress, hardness, and Young's modulus for the deposited films are fairl y low. With increasing substrate bias to 200 V, single-phase face-centered cubic-type nanocrystalline (Ti, Al)N films can be obtained, and the interna l stress, hardness, and Young's modulus increase to the maximum of 7 GPa, 2 8 GPa, and 240 GPa, respectively. Further increase of substrate bias result s in the decrease of intensity and the broadening of x-ray diffraction line s, and the gradual decrease of internal stress, hardness, and Young's modul us in (Ti, Al)N films. (C) 2001 American Vacuum Society.