Obtaining of TiSiCN coatings by anodic evaporation of titanium and decomposition of hexamethyldisilazane in a low-pressure arc discharge

The method of TiSiCN-coatings deposition by anodic evaporation of Ti and decomposition of an organosilicon precursor (hexamethyldisilazane) in a low-pressure (∼1 mTorr) nitrogen-argon arc discharge with a self-heated hollow cathode is investigated. The plasma composition was analyzed by optical emission spectroscopy. TiSiCN coatings with a thickness of up to 10 microns and a hardness of up to 30 GPa were obtained in 1.5 hours at a temperature of 400 C. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. The work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant no. 20-79-10059).