Structure determination of (Ti,Al)N/Mo multilayers

(Ti,Al)N/Mo multilayers have been deposited by de magnetron sputtering on high-speed steel and silicon substrates. Experimental X-ray diffraction (XRD) and computational modelling of these patterns has been carried out to achieve the basics in elucidating their structural properties. The layers were designed with modulation periods of approximately 13 nm, up to a total thickness of 2.8 mum. Residual stress experiments revealed a compressive stress state that prevailed in these structures, ranging from -0.2 to -1.3 GPa. This in turn is in good agreement with the XRD-refined expanded values of the out-of-plane interplanar distances. RES spectra provided the film composition and a qualitative evaluation of the waviness of the interfaces with increasing substrate bias potential. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.