Effects of Si content and free Si on oxidation behavior of Ti–Si–N coating layers

In this work, various Ti–Si–N coating layers, composites of TiN crystallites and amorphous Si 3N 4, where free Si existed depending on the amount of total Si content in Ti–Si–N film, were prepared on Si substrates by a d.c. reactive magnetron sputtering method in order to systematically investigate...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThin solid films Vol. 447; pp. 365 - 370
Main Authors Choi, Jun Bo, Cho, Kurn, Lee, Mi-Hye, Kim, Kwang Ho
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier B.V 30.01.2004
Subjects
Free Si
Oxidation
Si content
Ti–Si–N
Ti–Si–N
Free Si
Si content
Oxidation
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Summary:In this work, various Ti–Si–N coating layers, composites of TiN crystallites and amorphous Si 3N 4, where free Si existed depending on the amount of total Si content in Ti–Si–N film, were prepared on Si substrates by a d.c. reactive magnetron sputtering method in order to systematically investigate the effects of Si contents and free Si on the oxidation behavior. The oxidation process at 800 °C started by forming thin oxide layer of ternary Ti–Si–O at the interface, and the ternary Ti–Si–O layer was segregated into two phases of TiO 2 and SiO 2. Oxidation resistance of Ti–Si–N coating layers was significantly improved with increasing Si contents, which resulted in the increase of SiO 2 amount acting as an oxygen diffusion barrier. Free Si was diffused and segregated toward surface region, while Si bonded to nitrogen in Si 3N 4 could not. The free Si in Ti–Si–N coating layers was believed to partly contribute to the much enhanced oxidation resistance.
ISSN:0040-6090
1879-2731
DOI:10.1016/S0040-6090(03)01083-6