Influence of Axisymmetric Magnetic Field on Properties of TiN-Cu Nanocomposite Films Prepared by Arc Ion Plating

Abstract: TiN-Cu nanocomposite films were deposited on high speed steel by arc ion plating with an axisymmetric coil magnetic field at the back of the target. The influence of the coil magnetic field intensity on the moving rate of cathode spot and arc column shape on the target surface, as well as on the surface morphology, deposition rate, nanoindentation hardness and elastic modulus of the deposits was investigated. It is shown that the emitting probability of the melt metal drops on the target decreases, and the size and quantity of the macroparticles in the deposited films reduces with the increasing coil magnetic field intensity. The deposited films consists merely of TiN phase without metal Cu phase or Cu compound and possess an obvious preferred orientation along (111) plane. The deposition rate, indentation hardness and elastic modulus of the films increase rapidly to a maximum value and then decrease slightly with the increasing coil magnetic field intensity. The maximum values of hardness and elastic modulus are 35.46 GPa and 487.61 GPa, respectively.