Abstract
The performance of TiN coatings can be improved by the addition of elements promoting the growth of passive layers. Silicon has been incorporated into TiN during deposition in order to form passivating SiO2 at the surface of the coating. Thin films of Ti-Si-N at thicknesses up to 8 microns have been deposited in a reactive unbalanced magnetron sputter system using a titanium and a silicon target. In contrast to the established coatings containing aluminum or chromium the addition of silicon during the deposition of TiN leads to a multiphase composite deposit with sub-micron sized crystalline TiN embedded in an amorphous SiNx matrix. The addition of small amounts of Si to TiN transforms the (111) oriented columnar structure which develops under typical growth conditions into a dense fine grained structure. The microhardness HV 0.1 of the Ti- Si-N films of about 3500 is significantly higher than the one of Si-free TiN films deposited under the same conditions. The stress states of these films are markedlly enhanced with respect to TiN providing a better wear resistance.
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