Exploring the benefits of depositing hard TiN thin films by non-reactive magnetron sputtering

The aim of this paper is to compare the mechanical and tribological properties of TiN coatings prepared in a conventional magnetron sputtering chamber according to two different routes: the usual reactive sputtering of a Ti target in an Ar/N2 atmosphere vs. the comparatively more simple sputtering of a TiN target in a pure Ar atmosphere. Improved properties in term of hardness and wear rates were obtained for films prepared by non-reactive sputtering route, due to the lower presence of oxynitride species and larger crystalline domain size. Additionally, a significant hardness enhancement (up to 45 GPa) is obtained when a −100 V d.c. bias is applied during growth. This behaviour is explained by non-columnar growth and small grain size induced by effective ion bombarding. These results demonstrate that non-reactive sputtering of TiN target appears a simple and efficient method to prepare hard wear-resistant TiN films.