Effect of Microstructural and Tribological Behaviors of Sputtered Titanium Carbide Thin Film on Copper Substrate

Titanium carbide (TiC) thin films were deposited by radio frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS) onto a copper substrate by using Argon (Ar) gas plasma at a gas flow rate of 10.0 sccm. The effect of time and temperature at a constant RF power on the structural and tribological properties were respectively investigated by atomic force spectroscopy (AFM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and tribological measurements. All films were tested to have crystal structures with the preferential plane (111) and dominant plane (200) grain orientations. Thus, plane (111) has phase identification of Cu(Cu16Ti)(0.23) for some samples, whereas plane (200) has a phase identification of Cu(Cu0.997Ti0.003) and Cu(Cu0.923Ti0.077) for other samples. The lowest thin film roughness of 19.797 nm was observed in the sample, with RF power, sputtering time, and a temperature of 200 W, for two hours and 80 degrees C, respectively. The FTIR spectra of TiC films formed under different sputtering times (2-3 h) and temperatures (80 degrees C-100 degrees C) on Cu substrates at a constant sputtering power of 200 W in the range of 5000-500 cm(-1). The peaks at 540 cm(-1), 780 cm(-1), and 1250 cm(-1) are presented in the FTIR spectra and the formation of a Ti-C bond was observed. On the other hand, a sample was revealed to have the lowest wear volume of 5.1 x 10(-3) mm(3) while another sample was obtained with the highest wear volume of 9.3 x 10(-3) mm(3).

Automated summary

Titanium carbide (TiC) thin films were deposited on a copper substrate using radio frequency magnetron sputtering with argon gas plasma. The effects of time and temperature at a constant RF power on the structural and tribological properties were investigated. The films exhibited crystal structures with preferential orientations of (111) and (200) planes. The lowest thin film roughness of 19.797 nm was observed at an RF power of 200 W, sputtering time of two hours, and temperature of 80 degrees C. FTIR spectra showed the formation of a Ti-C bond. Different samples had varying wear volumes, with the lowest being 5.1 x 10(-3) mm(3) and the highest being 9.3 x 10(-3) mm(3).