Residual Stress In TiN Films Research Articles

Crystal orientation and residual stress in TiN film by synchrotron radiation

Abstract The residual stress in a TiN film, the thickness of which is less than 1 µm, deposited by arc ion plating was measured using the SPring-8 synchrotron radiation facility installed at Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI). Films thicker than 300 nm have a {111} texture, whereas those with a thickness of 100 nm have a relatively random orientation. Instead of the conventional laboratory X-ray equipment, ultrabright synchrotron radiation can be used to precisely measure the residual stress in thin films with a thickness of 100 to 800 nm. The residual stress in thicker TiN films is about 7 GPa in compression and it is not affected by the film thickness. The slightly small compressive stress in a film of 100 nm in thickness may be due to the different crystal orientations in the film.

Film thickness effect on texture and residual stress sign transition in sputtered TiN thin films

Abstract Residual stress in thin films and coatings strongly affects their properties and behavior in service. Comprehensive understanding and precise measurements of residual stress are prerequisites for preparing high quality films and coatings. Residual stresses in TiN films with different thickness were measured by X-ray diffraction (XRD) employing the cos 2 α sin 2 ψ method with certain optimization. Grazing incidence parallel beam optics was combined with side-inclination geometry using in-house designed sample stage to ensure results accuracy. To validate this method, TiN films with thickness ranging from 1 to 3 µm were deposited on (100) Si single crystal substrates at 300 °C by RF magnetron sputtering. High compressive −2 GPa residual stress was present in the 0.9 µm thick film and decreased with film thickness. Tensile stress of less than 0.3 GPa was present in 2 µm TiN film. Compressive-to-tensile residual stress transition was observed with the film thickness increase. Microstructure change with growth, annihilation of grain boudaries, atomic peening and recovery mechanisms are responsible for the reported stress sign transition.

Effect of heating on the residual stresses in TiN films investigated using synchrotron radiation

The structure and residual stresses of TiN films deposited by arc ion plating (AIP) on a steel substrate were investigated using a synchrotron radiation system that emits ultra-intense X-rays. In a previous study, the crystal structures of TiN films deposited by AIP were found to be strongly influenced by the bias voltage. When high bias voltages were used, TiN films that were approximately 200 nm thickness had a preferred orientation of {110}, whereas TiN films that were approximately 600 nm thickness has a multilayer film orientation of {111}/{110}. In this present study, the two-tilt method was used to evaluate the residual stresses in TiN films by measuring lattice strains in two directions determined by the crystal orientation. Residual stresses in 600-nm-thick as-deposited TiN films were found to be −10.0 GPa and −8.0 GPa for {111}- and {110}-textured layers, respectively, while they were −8.0 GPa for {110}-textured layers in 200-nm-thick as-deposited TiN films. Residual stresses of both films relaxed to thermal stress levels upon annealing.

Thermal relaxation of residual stresses in TiN films deposited by arc ion plating

Abstract The present study investigates crystal orientations and residual stresses in TiN films deposited by arc ion plating. TiN films approximately 2.0 μm thick were deposited on a steel substrate. With a bias voltage of 0 V, the TiN film exhibited strong {110} texture, whereas the dominant orientation of the film deposited at −100V was {111}. TiN films had very high compressive residual stresses: −8.6 GPa in the {110} textured film and −10.0 GPa in the {111} textured film. These residual stresses decreased with increasing annealing temperature and the reduction rate was greater for the {111} than for the {100} film. The behavior of residual stresses in the {111} and {110} textured layers of {111}/{110} textured double-layer film was identical to that for single-layer films.

Evaluation of internal stresses in TiN thin films by synchrotron radiation

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.

Crystal orientation and residual stress in TiN film by synchrotron radiation

Abstract The residual stress in a TiN film, the thickness of which is less than 1 mm, deposited by arc ion plating was measured using the SPring-8 synchrotron radiation facility installed at Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI). Films thicker than 300 nm have a {111} texture, whereas those with a thickness of 100 nm have a relatively random orientation. Instead of the conventional laboratory X-ray equipment, ultrabright synchrotron radiation can be used to precisely measure the residual stress in thin films with a thickness of 100 to 800 nm. The residual stress in thicker TiN films is about 7 GPa in compression and it is not affected by the film thickness. The slightly small compressive stress in a film of 100 nm in thickness may be due to the different crystal orientations in the film.

ＴｉＮ膜の膜内残留応力に及ぼす基材溶対処理の影響

A fundamental study on the effect that pre-coating a substrate with metal spraying has on the properties of sputtered Titanium-nitride film (TiN film) was carried out. The residual stresses in TiN films sputtered on the substrates coated with various spray coatings were measured by X-ray stress measurement. It was observed that the residual stresses in TiN films sputtered on substrates coated by metal spraying were lower than those on the substrates not so coated. The influence of the surface configuration of spray coating on the residual stress in sputtered TiN film was also investigated. It was found that the surface configuration of spray coating affected the residual stress in TiN film, and that the residual stress increased with the surface roughness of the spray coating increasing.

On the adhesion of plasma-deposited TiN on M2 steel

The adhesion of plasma-deposited TiN from TiCl 4H 2N 2 gas mixtures on AISI M2 (Werkstoffnr. 1.3343) steel substrates can be improved by proper cleaning of the substrates in a non-corrosive solution such as an aliphatic hydrocarbon (dodecane). From the deposition parameters, such as the substrate temperature, pressure, r.f. power and respective gas flows, the temperature appears to be the most influential parameter for the adhesion. The removal or reduction of metal oxides present on the surface by increasing the substrate temperature and/or in situ plasma etching in H 2 enhances the adhesion, as indicated by the increased critical load L c in a scratch adhesion test. The “cleaned” surface can be made more resistant to the aggressive discharge by treating the surface in an N 2 or N 2H 2 discharge. The nitrides formed on the surface, one of which is Fe 2N, also influence the nucleation and growth mechanism of TiN, which leads to a more random orientation of the TiN crystallites. The residual stress in TiN films, deposited on M2 steel substrates pre-treated in an N 2 discharge, appears to be lower than the stress in TiN films deposited on a steel surface which has not been pre-treated in an N 2 discharge. As a result a substantial improvement is obtained in critical load. Routine L c values of up to 50 N have been obtained for TiN coatings with a thickness of about 4.5 μm.

7159. A further study of the state of residual stress in TiN films made by physical vapor deposition methods: AJ Perry, J Vac Sci Technol, A8, 1990, 3186–3193

7159. A further study of the state of residual stress in TiN films made by physical vapor deposition methods: AJ Perry, J Vac Sci Technol, A8, 1990, 3186–3193

7448. The state of residual stress in TiN films made by physical vapor deposition methods; the state of the art: A J Perry, J Vac Sci Technol, A8, 1990, 1351–1358

7448. The state of residual stress in TiN films made by physical vapor deposition methods; the state of the art: A J Perry, J Vac Sci Technol, A8, 1990, 1351–1358

A further study of the state of residual stress in TiN films made by physical vapor deposition methods

The residual stress and strain distribution in TiN films deposited by chemical vapor deposition onto cemented carbide and physical vapor deposition methods onto cemented carbide and stainless steel are studied. Two sets of samples were chosen for study which, respectively, have either strong (111) textures or show different textures apparently resulting from different deposition rates. The data indicate that the residual stress on different planes in all samples, as measured by standard x-ray diffraction methods, is affected by the texture of the film. Reduction in the deposition rate increases the lattice distortion, reduces the strain distribution and the tendency of the (220) plane to show shear stress effects. The data confirm that studies of planes not lying parallel to the surface of the film are needed to allow a more complete characterization and to permit the way to a fuller interpretation to be opened.

The state of residual stress in TiN films made by physical vapor deposition methods; the state of the art

Existing transmission electron microscope studies indicate that a variety of lattice defects such as dislocation loops, ultramicrocracking, and trapped argon and its precipitation can be present in thin TiN films, where the precise defects observed in a given sample depend on the deposition conditions of the film. There are also changes in texture and grain size as the film thickness increases. A considerable amount of data has also been reported on the lattice parameters, diffraction peak widths (which indicate the strain distribution), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) residual stress, which are all found to depend strongly on the deposition conditions of TiN films. These properties also change through the thickness of the film. In the present work, existing XRD data and their trends are reviewed. While it is clear that correlations exist between the XRD data and microscopic and microstructural changes, it is not yet possible to relate them to specific microstructural features or lattice defects. The state of residual stress and the strain distribution are different on different planes in a given film. They also appear to be affected by texture and by the nature of the substrate in a way that cannot yet be classified.

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

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.