Effects of Copper Doping on Structure and Properties of TiN Films Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering Assisted by Low Energy Ion Flux Irradiation

摘要

Ti-Cu-N films containing approximately 0-10 at.% Cu were deposited on Si(100) substrates with high-density low-energy ion flux irradiation by inductively coupled plasma (ICP)-assisted magnetron sputtering. The effects of Cu doping on film microstructures, morphology and properties were investigated. The addition of a small amount of Cu markedly modified the preferred orientation and morphology, and significantly increased film hardness. A Ti-Cu-N film containing 2 at.% Cu has a maximum hardness of approximately 42 GPa. This film was characterized as having a nanocomposite structure, consisting of nanocolumns of TiN crystallites with very small Cu crystallites inside the column boundaries. The hardness increase was attributed to a nanocomposite effect.