Characterisation of PVD TiCN layers by physical and electrochemical methods
AbstractTiCN coatings were deposited by magnetron sputter ion plating onto high speed AISI M2 steel. The physical vapour deposition TiCN coatings were produced with various partial pressures of nitrogen and methane, at a constant substrate bias of 0, 50 or 100 V and constant deposition temperature of 300, 350, 400 or 450°C, respectively. Next, the substrate bias was varied for constant ratios of partial pressures and constant temperature. The amount of methane flow affects the coating composition as well as its lattice parameters and residual stresses. These properties are also affected by the substrate bias. The joint effect of increasing the substrate bias, the presence of interstitial carbon and the formation of CN–Ti bonds could probably be responsible for strong fcc lattice distortion and consequently high residual stresses of the TiCxNy coatings. The deposition temperature affects the lattice parameters and the residual stresses only to a small extent. The substrate bias of 0 to −100 V yields known ...