Studies on reactive magnetron sputtered tin thin films

Abstract

Titanium Nitride (TiN) is an interstitial nitride with remarkable hardness, adhesion and toughness making it ideal for thin film applications. In this work the effect of substrate bias and substrate temperature on crystallinity, morphology, hydroph obi city and adhesion of TiN films has been studied. The films were deposited by dc magnetron sputtering on well-cleaned substrates of glass, silicon (100) and stainless steel (AISISS304). The deposited films were analysed using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), contact angle measurement and scratch testing. Grains with globular and columnar morphology were formed and the films were predominantly hydrophilic in nature. In the absence of substrate bias amorphous films were formed and (111) and (200) planes appeared with substrate heating and bias. Improved adhesion was observed at lower bias and higher temperatures. © 2014 Asian Network for Scientific Information.