Synthesis and characterization of TiN/SiNx multilayered thin films by ion beam sputtering

TiN/SiNx multilayered thin films were deposited on Corning #7059 glass substrates in an ion beam sputtering (IBS) system with a nitrogen assisted ion beam source. The multilayered thin films were deposited alternately using Ti and Si targets sputtered with the argon ion beam. Layer thickness λ (where λ is the period of the multilayer) ranged from 5 to 160 nm, and total film thickness was 400 nm. The multilayered thin films were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM), micro-hardness, and microindentation hardness. Results are as follows: the high angle XRD showed a preferred orientation of TiN to [200] direction and the small angle XRD exhibited a diffraction pattern of a single-crystal superlattice, although the obtained films consisted of multilayers of microcrystal TiN and amorphous SiNx. Hardness of the deposited multilayered thin films indicated maximum against the multilayer periods. The maximum knoop hardness value of the obtained TiN/SiNx multilayered thin film was Hk=2376 kg mm-2.