The residual stress in TiN films deposited onto cemented carbide by high-rate reactive sputtering

Abstract

The lattice parameters, lattice strain distribution and residual stress on different planes in tiN films deposited onto cemented carbide by reactive sputteringsputtering are studied by X-ray diffraction methods as a function of sputter target input power at a constant bias voltage of –100 V. The residual stress shows remarkably large differences between the values measured on different planes in a film. The form of the various sin 2ψ vs. lattice parameter plots (sspp) also shows differences and can, for example, be linear for the (422) peak but shows ψ splitting for the (220) peak. These results together with differences in the behavior of the parameters and diffraction peak broadening allow two distinct types of behavior to be isolated. They are not understood but are conjectured as being related to plastic flow, lattice deffects and possibly even ultramicrocracking on specific lattice planes.