Correlation between Preferred Orientation and Pinhole Defect of TiN Films by Ion Mixing and Vapor Deposition Techique
Hitoshi UCHIDA, Masato YAMASHITA, Satoshi HANAKI and Hiroyuki KAGAWA
Abstract:Titanium nitride (TiN) films were prepared onto stainless steels by nitrogen ion irradiation during titanium vapor deposition, i.e., ion mixing and vapor deposition (IVD) technique. The influence of preparation conditions on surface morphology, preferred orientation and microstructure of TiN films were investigated. The TiN films with preferred orientation of {111} or {100} plane were characterized by the respective appearance of triangular or grainy crystals, which were strongly dependent of preparation conditions. The area ratio of pinhole defects in the TiN films evaluated by electrochemical measurement successfully decreased with the orientation of plane preferring {100}. On the contrary, they increased with the orientation of plane preferring {111}. Here, the correlation between preferred orientation and pinhole defect of TiN films was discussed with the optimum preparation conditions for the corrosion-protective dry coating films. Key Words:Thin film, Titanium nitride (TiN), Ion mixing and vapor deposition (IVD) technique, Preferred orientation, Pinhole defect, Critical passivation current density (CPCD) technique