抄録
The influence of sputtering conditions on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-Al-Si-N was investigated using XRD, XPS and ultra-microindentaion. The targets of Ti50Al50 and Ti50Al40Si10 alloy were sputtered in a mixture of argon and nitrogen using an r.f. sputtering apparatus of Facing Target-type Sputtering. The substrate was heated up to -573 K and a substrate bias of d.c. up to -100 V was applied. XRD patterns of Ti-Al-Si-N films suggested two phases, the cubic B1 NaCl type structure and an amorphous phase, were presented in the film. XRD and XPS results indicate that the Ti-Al-Si-N films have a nano-composite structure consisting of nanocrystalline Ti(Al)N and amorphous phase. The highest hardness of 43 GPa was obtained for the Ti-Al-Si-N films deposited at 573 K without substrate bias. This hardness is -19% higher than that for Ti-Al-N films. On the other hand, Young's modulus for Ti-Al-Si-N films was 360 GPa, which is -13% lower than that of Ti-Al-N films. When the substrate bias of -30 V was applied for Ti-Al-Si-N film deposition, h-AMN peak was detected in the XRD pattern and the hardness of the film decreased. These results could be attributed to the segregation of h-AlN phase from the Ti-Al-Si-N nano-composite films.
