Texture analysis of martensitic hot-worked tool steel H13 coated with TiN by physical vapour deposition

Abstract

With a θ–2θ decoupled X-ray diffractometer, extended with a ω substrate rotation, it is possible to study the preferential orientation (texture) of polycrystalline materials in an experimental set-up which is comparable with the Field-Merchant configuration. After having established the preferential orientation of the substrates, which were made of martensitic hot-worked tool steel H13, they were coated with TiN by physical vapour deposition. Two layer thicknesses were deposited at two different bias voltages. Thin TiN layers with a thickness of 200–300 nm were polycrystalline while coatings with a layer thickness of 1400–1600 nm showed a preferential orientation of the (111) and (220) lattice planes parallel to the substrate surface. The (111) preferential orientation shows a decrease in mosaic spread with increasing bias voltage, but the mosaic spread of the (220) preferential orientation remains unchanged.