Ti xAl 1− xN films deposited by ion plating with an arc evaporator

Abstract

Deposition experiments have been carried out to obtain Ti x Al 1− x N coatings by the ion-bonding process and by magnetron sputter ion plating (MSIP). Aluminium concentrations of between 10 and 50 at.% in the source material were used for the deposition. The experimental results on the dependence of the hardness of the coatings on the nitrogen partial pressure, the structural features of the coating surface and fracture are discussed. The results also show that the ion-bonding process is well suited to the deposition of mixed compounds by the evaporation of alloys in reactive gas atmospheres. Compared with the aluminium concentration of the source material, the aluminium content in the deposited coating is reduced, while films deposited by the MSIP process show a small increase in aluminium concentration compared with that of the target. The observed dependence of the aluminium content on the bias voltage using the ion-bonding process offers an interesting possibility for changing the aluminium concentration in a growing film by variation in the bias voltage during the coating process.