TiC Films Fabricated by the Hydrogen Ion-Assisted Ion-Beam Sputtering Method

Abstract

TiC films were prepared by dual ion-beam sputtering appratus using a cotarget of titanium and graphite. Some of the films were bombarded by hydrogen ions with an energy range from 5 keV to 10 keV during deposition.
The microhardness of the TiC films was measured by the Knoop hardness tester. It was observed that the hardness of the film with hydrogen ion bombardment was 1.5 times harder in comparson to the hardness of the film without bombardment.
The atomic composition and the chemical bonding states of the film were analyzed by Auger electron spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
Two types of carbon, carbidelike and graphitelike carbon, were observed in the TiC film. It is suggested that in the film with hydrogen ion bombardment, the dominant formation of carbidelike carbon increases the film hardness.