Evaluation of internal stresses in TiN thin films by synchrotron radiation

Abstract

Residual stresses in TiN films on a steel substrate were investigated with ordinary in-lab X-ray equipment and a synchrotron radiation device that emits ultra-high-intensity X-rays. Specimens prepared in this study were TiN films with different thicknesses deposited on a stainless-steel substrate by arc-ion plating. The minimum thickness that allows the residual stress measurement was 0.8 μm by in-lab equipment, but it was below 0.1 μm by synchrotron radiation. We found extremely large compressive residual stresses even in a 0.1-μm-thick film; the level of residual stress was almost constant for the films with thickness of 0.1 to 0.8 μm.