Growth mechanisms study of TiN coatings obtained by vacuum arc evaporation

Titanium nitride films were deposited onto AISI D2 steel discs using a conventionnal vacuum arc evaporation process. The main deposition parameters, i.e. substrate temperature, T s , substrate bias voltage, V s and nitrogen pressure P N2 are varied independently from each other. The aim of this work was to understand the evolution of mechanical behaviour of the films, considering the variation of microstructural properties, such as stress level and grain size in function of each deposition parameter.