title: Nanosize-controlled titanium nitride films in pulsed dc magnetron sputtering.
abstract: Titanium nitride films with different nano-grain size deposited by direct current (dc) and pulsed dc magnetron sputtering have been investigated for various target frequencies ranging from 0 to 50 kHz. The crystal grain size, surface and cross-sectional microstructure and the surface roughness of the coatings were analyzed using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Pulsed prepared TiN films showed higher hardness and Young's modulus, and smaller grain size and the roughness than dc prepared TiN films. The effects of target frequency on film structure and properties is more remarkable at high target frequency exhibited a nano-grain size and a dense microstructure and smooth surface roughness with superhard hardness, which are the results of the high ion energy and high ion flux bombardment from the high frequency pulsed plasma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Mokpo National University, Jeonnam 534729, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chun