Synthesis and characterisation of titanium vanadium nitride thin films
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Date
2005-01-31
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Australian Institute of Physics
Abstract
Many transition metal nitrides form very hard and wear resistant thin film coatings. Alloying of transition metal nitrides creates the possibility of producing films with even higher hardness and wear resistance. In this paper we look at alloying TiN and VN utilising a dual source pulsed cathodic arc. TiN and VN both form face centred cubic structures, have similar lattice parameters and are completely miscible over the entire range in bulk form . Of interest is the correlation between intrinsic stress, indentation hardness, microstructure and optical properties of Ti(1-x)VxN films over a range of compositions from x = 0 to x = 1. Previous work by Knotek [using magnetron sputtering showed that thin films of Ti(1-x)VxN made using a metal target of 25 atomic percent V and 75 atomic percent Ti showed the best wear resistance in a pin-on-disc test and the highest Vickers microhardness. In this work we vary the ratio of pulses applied to each cathode in the dual source filtered cathodic arc system to change the composition of the resultant film in a controllable manner. In this way, the properties over a range of composition can be evaluated. In addition to hardness, this work will explore the variations in optical properties of the alloys. Nitrides frequently exhibit attractive colours; for instance, the colour of TiN thin films deposited by plasma immersion ion implantation has been found to vary widely with the conditions of deposition. However, little has been published on the optical properties of the Ti(1-x)VxN alloy.
Description
Keywords
Alloy systems, Alloys, Films, Measuring methods, Mechanical properties, Nitrides, Nitrogen compounds, Optical properties, Physical properties, Pnictides, Titanium compounds, Transition element alloys, Transition element compounds, Vanadium compounds
Citation
Taylor, M. B., Davies, K. E., Gan, B. K., McKenzie, D. R., Bilek, M. M. M., McCulloch, D. G., Latella, B. A., Wilksch, P. A., McPherson, M. & Van den Brink, R. A. (2005). Synthesis and characterisation of titanium vanadium nitride thin films. Paper presented to the 29th Condensed Matter and Materials Meeting, "Australian Institute of Physics Sixteenth Biennial Congress", Canberra, 2005, 31 January - 4 February 2005. Retrieved from: https://www.physics.org.au/wp-content/uploads/cmm/2005/31._Taylor_MB_AIP2005(CMMSP).pdf