Transmission electron microscopy of AlN/TiN superlattice coatings fabricated by pulsed laser deposition

摘要

Multilayered AlN/TiN superlattice coatings with superlattice periods from 0.6 to 20 nm were fabricated on single crystal Si(001) substrates by pulsed laser deposition at substrate temperatures from 25°C to 700°C. Pseudomorphic stabilization of the non-equilibrium B1-AlN phase in these coatings was studied by cross-sectional high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction. Annular dark field imaging and simultaneously conducted spatially-resolved energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy were applied to reveal non-uniformities in the structure of AlN in room-temperature deposited AlN/TiN superlattices with large bilayer periods.