X-Ray diffraction investigations of magnetron sputtered TiCN coatings

X-ray diffraction measurements were performed on titanium carbonitride coatings produced in an electron enhanced, unbalanced magnetron system. The films were deposited onto AISI 316 stainless steel substrates with an argon background pressure in the range of 0.1 Pa. A gas mixture of nitrogen and acetylene was introduced in different ratios, which alters the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio in the coating. The composition of the film was determined by glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy and wavelength-dispersive X-ray analysis. The morphology of the films was determined by scanning electron microscopy. The peak positions, integral breadths and shape parameters were determined by X-ray diffraction, and the composition influence on these parameters was investigated. The applied X-ray diffraction methods were conventional Bragg-Brentano diffraction and also parallel beam low angle diffraction. Morphological and microstructural features are found which indicate that an increased carbon content in the film gives similar results to a decrease in bias voltage.