Preparation and characterization of nanostructured TiCrN thin films deposited from Ti-Cr mosaic target by reactive DC magnetron sputtering

Abstract

Abstract In this research work, nanostructured thin films of TiCrN have been deposited on Si by reactive DC magnetron sputtering from a mosaic Ti-Cr target. The effects of nitrogen gas flow rates on the structure of the as-deposited TiCrN thin films were examined. The crystal structure, microstructure, surface morphology, thickness, and composition were characterized by GI-XRD, FE-SEM and EDS technique, respectively. The results revealed that the thin films were formed as a (Ti, Cr)N solid solution. The as-deposited thin films showed a nanocrystalline structure of TiCrN with the crystal sizes less than 45 nm. The lattice constants were in the range of 4.144 to 4.181 Å. The thickness of the TiCrN films decreased from 379 to 276 nm with increasing of the nitrogen gas flow rates. The nitrogen content of the as-deposited films was increased with increasing of the nitrogen gas flow rates, while the titanium and chromium content in the films were decreased. Finally, the TiCrN thin films showed compact columnar and dense morphology as a result of various the nitrogen gas flow rate.