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Phase configuration, nanostructure, and mechanical behaviors in Ti-B-C-N thin films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

Yonghao Lu ,
Junping Wang ,
Yaogen Shen  and
Dongbai Sun
Yonghao Lu*
Affiliation:
Scientific Center for Materials Service Safety, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
Junping Wang
Affiliation:
Science School, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, People's Republic of China
Yaogen Shen
Affiliation:
Department of Manufacturing Engineering & Engineering Management, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Dongbai Sun
Affiliation:
Science Center for Materials Service Safety, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China
*
a) Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: lu_yonghao@mater.ustb.edu.cn
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Abstract

A series of Ti-B-C-N thin films were deposited on Si (100) at 500 °C by incorporation of different amounts of N into Ti-B-C using reactive unbalanced dc magnetron sputtering in an Ar-N2 gas mixture. The effect of N content on phase configuration, nanostructure evolution, and mechanical behaviors was studied by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and microindentation. It was found that the pure Ti-B-C was two-phased quasi-amorphous thin films comprising TiCx and TiB2. Incorporation of a small amount of N not only dissolved into TiCx but also promoted growth of TiCx nano-grains. As a result, nanocomposite thin films of nanocrystalline (nc-) TiCx(Ny) (x + y < 1) embedded into amorphous (a-) TiB2 were observed until nitrogen fully filled all carbon vacancy lattice (at that time x + y = 1). Additional increase of N content promoted formation of a-BN at the cost of TiB2, which produced nanocomposite thin films of nc-Ti(Cx,N1-x) embedded into a-(TiB2, BN). Formation of BN also decreased nanocrystalline size. Both microhardness and elastic modulus values were increased with an increase of N content and got their maximums at nanocomposite thin films consisting of nc-Ti(Cx,N1-x) and a-TiB2. Both values were decreased after formation of BN. Residual compressive stress value was successively decreased with an increase of N content. Enhancement of hardness was attributed to formation of nanocomposite structure and solid solution hardening.

Keywords

HardnessNanostructureThin film
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 24 , Issue 8 , August 2009 , pp. 2520 - 2527
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2009

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