Experimental and theoretical studies of the physicochemical and mechanical properties of multi-layered TiN/SiC films: Temperature effects on the nanocomposite structure

Abstract

Nanoscale multilayered TiN/SiC films are of great importance in many electronic and industrial fields. The careful control over the structure of the laminates, nanocrystalline or amorphous, is crucial for their further applicability and study. However, several limitations in their fabrication have revealed important gaps in the understanding of this system. Here, we study influence of temperature on the physico-chemical and functional properties of TiN/SiC multilayers. We will show the clear increment on hardness of the samples, while the nanocomposite structure of the layers is maintained with no increment in crystal size. We will investigate the interstitial effects and rearrangements, between the TiN/SiC phases and their role in the enhanced mechanical response. Our experiments will clearly show a change in the modulation period of the samples, pointing to interfacial reactions, diffusion of ions or crystallization of new phases. Full Investigations of the film properties were carried out using several methods of analysis: XRD, XPS, FTIR, HR-TEM and SIMS Additionally, results were combined with First Principles MD computations of TiN/SiC heterostructures.