Estudio mediante difracción de rayos X de las tensiones residuales producidas durante el depósito de películas delgadas de TiN sobre sustratos metálicos

The influence of film thickness and the substrate type on the level and type of residual stresses generated on TiN coatings are analyzed. Two different physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques: Magnetron Sputtering and Ion Plating were applied. Two materials were used as substrate: stainless steel AISI 304 and AISI M2 tool steel. The study of the residual stresses, the present phases, the crystalline structure and the crystallographic texture of the deposited films was performed by X-ray diffraction analysis using the grazing method with a low incidence angle. The results show that the residuals stresses produced by both deposition techniques were of compression and that their level decreased by increasing the film thickness. Moreover, the residual stresses were higher in those coatings deposited by Magnetron sputtering than coatings produced by Ion Platting. The residuals stresses in the films deposited on the AISI 304 steel were greater than those produced in AISI M2 steel. This is due to the delivery energy mechanism to the layer growth and momentum of the ionized particles, which directly influence the microstructure and increase or decrease residual stresses. Regarding the substrate, residuals stresses were greater on the films produced on AISI 304 steel, than those deposited on the AISI M2 steel, which is possibly due to the lower coefficient of thermal expansion of M2 steel.