Spinodal Decomposition of Ti0.33Al0.67N Thin Films Studied by Atom Probe Tomography

• The decomposition of Ti0.33Al0.67N thin films deposited by cathodic arc evaporation have been studied by atom probe tomography.  As-deposited films were found to deviate slightly from a random solid solution, and so be in the earliest stage of decomposition. After annealing at 900 °C for 2 h the films exhibited a spinodally decomposed nanostructure, in an intermediate stage. N was found to preferentially segregate to the Al-rich domains in the annealed sample, causing the TiN-domains to be understoichiometric.  A possible Kirkendall effect was detected for the annealed sample, with a modulation of the local stoichiometry by 1-2 at. % along the decomposition gradient.

Nyckelord

thin films

TiAlN

cathodic arc evaporation

atom probe tomography

spinodal decomposition

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