Characterization of TiN Protective Coatings

This work reports on an analysis of titanium nitride layers deposited by the PVD method and changes induced in the deposit during interaction with a laser beam. Layers up to 850 nm thick were deposited by Ti target sputtering into an atmosphere of reactive gas. Layer phase composition, lattice parameter, interplanar spacing and preferential orientation of crystallites in the layer were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis. The mean grain size and micro strain in the deposit were defined from peak line broadening in the CuK alpha spectrum. Crystallite size was defined additionally by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM), before and after laser beam treatment.