Investigation of Nanoscale TiN/MoN Multilayered Systems, Fabricated Using Arc Evaporation

Using the vacuum-arc evaporation method we fabricated periodic multilayered TiN/MoN structures with different bilayer periods λ ranging from 8 to 100 nm. We found that molybdenum nitride and titanium nitride layers grown on steel show local partial epitaxy and columnar growth across interfaces. A molybdenum-titanium carbide interlayer was evidenced between the substrate and the multilayer. Molybdenum nitride and titanium nitride layers contain small (5÷30 nm) grains and are well crystallized with (100) preferred orientation. They were identified as stoichiometric fcc TiN and cubic γ-M₂N. Non-cubic molybdenum nitride phases were also detected. The hardness of the obtained structures achieved great values and maximal hardness was 31÷41.8 GPa for the multilayered structure with a 8 nm period. Hardness of the obtained coatings is 25÷45% higher in comparison with the initial single-layer nitride coatings, plasticity index of multilayered structure is 0.075.