Characteristics of the Ti2N layer produced by an ion assisted deposition method

An ion assisted deposition process (CMSII) has been developed by combining high-energy ion bombardment, produced by a high voltage pulse discharge, with conventional magnetron sputtering. Since the ion bombardment occurs simultaneously with deposition, the implanted ions are uniformly distributed within the coating. Hard Ti2N layers with an extremely dense, featureless structure and a thickness up to 50 μm have been produced. Instrumented indentation, XRD, SEM, GDOS have been used to characterize these layers, deposited on various substrates. Wear tests have been carried out in order to assess the tribological properties of this type of coating, in comparison with other surface layers.