Deposition of titanium nitride thin films on stainless steel-AISI 304 substrates using a plasma focus device

A 3.3 kJ pulsed plasma focus device was used to deposit thin films of titanium nitride (TiN) at room temperature onto the stainless steel-AISI 304 substrates. The small plasma focus device, fitted with solid titanium anode instead of the usual hollow copper anode, was operated with nitrogen as the filling gas for deposition of TiN thin films. Films were deposited with different numbers of focus shots, at different distances from the top of the anode, and at different angular positions with respect to the anode axis. Deposited films have been characterized for their structure by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), surface morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental composition and distribution mapping by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis and hardness using a nanoindenter. XRD patterns show the growth of as-deposited polycrystalline TiN thin film. Diffraction patterns for films deposited along the anode axis show induction of a phase corresponding to iron chromium nickel on the film-substrate interface. SEM pictures confirm uniformly distributed TiN grains with hardly any crack over the film surface. Conglomeration of smaller TiN grains, to form bigger size grains, is seen to occur at the films deposited with higher total ion flux. The EDX spectra show the presence of expected constituent elements. EDX mapping confirms the uniform distribution of TiN on the film surface. The variation in structure, morphology, thickness and hardness of the deposited films with the variation of film deposition parameters is explained, qualitatively, on the basis of ion emission characteristics of the focus device. Polycrystalline, smooth and hard thin films of TiN are successfully deposited at room temperature stainless steel-AISI 304 substrates using the plasma focus device.