High-power impulse magnetron sputtering of Ti-Si-C thin films from a Ti3SiC2 compound target

• We have deposited Ti-Si-C thin films using high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) from a Ti3SiC2 compound target. The as-deposited films were composite materials with TiC as the main crystalline constituent. X-ray diffraction and photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that they also contained amorphous SiC, and for films deposited on inclined substrates, crystalline Ti5Si3Cx. The film morphology was dense and flat, while films deposited with dc magnetron sputtering under comparable conditions were rough and porous. Due to the high degree of ionization of the sputtered species obtained in HIPIMS, it is possible to control the film composition, in particular the C content, by tuning the substrate inclination angle, the Ar process pressure, and the bias voltage.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Fysik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Physical Sciences (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Kemi -- Oorganisk kemi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Chemical Sciences -- Inorganic Chemistry (hsv//eng)

Keyword

HIPIMS

Titanium silicon carbide

Physics

Fysik

Inorganic chemistry

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)