Effect of heat treatment on TiN films deposited by CFUBMS

TiN layers deposited by Closed Field Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering (CFUBMS) on M2 tool steel were heat treated in an inert argon atmosphere at 700, 800 and 900 °C for 3 h. The coatings were analyzed by microhardness, XRD and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)–energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). It was found that heat treatment at 700, 800 and 900 °C changed the mechanical properties, microstructure and composition of film. The golden yellow color of TiN films changed after heat treatment. The high values of the microhardness observed for as-deposited films decreased after heat treatment. The peak intensities of TiN decreased and the intensities of α-Fe increased with an increase of heat treatment temperature. The variation in chemical composition of films was determined as a function of the heat treatment. Microcracking of the surface morphology of films heat treated at 900 °C was observed.