Compositional structure of dual TiNO layers deposited on SUS 304 by an IBAD technique

Surfaces of stainless steel SUS 304 were coated with dual titanium oxynitride (TiNO) layers using a nitrogen ion beam-assisted deposition technique. The N ions were accelerated at energy of 0.5–2.0 keV with an intensity of 0.1 mA/cm2 on the substrate surface. First, a TiNO film was deposited on substrates at 700 °C, and subsequently, another TiN film was deposited on the previous TiNO film surface at 400 °C. Hydrogen carbon nitride, CrFe, and metal carbide M23C6 were produced in the near-surface region of stainless steel during the TiNO deposition at 700 °C, and three characteristic layers consisting of iron nitride, chromium nitride and nickel nitride were formed between the TiNO films deposited and the stainless steel. These characteristic layers disappeared during deposition of the TiNO layer at a temperature of 400 °C.