NANOSCALE HARDNESS AND MICROFRICTION OF TITANIUM NITRIDE FILMS DEPOSITED FROM THE REACTION OF TETRAKIS (DIMETHYLAMINO) TITANIUM WITH AMMONIA

Nanocrystalline titanium nitride films with very low carbon and oxygen content were deposited on single-crystal silicon substrates from the reaction of tetrakis (dimethylamino) titanium,Ti[(CH3)2N]4, with ammonia at 633 K and a pressure of 665 Pa. The film consisted of ∼10 nm grains. The hardness of the film, measured by nanoindentation, was 12.7±0.6 GPa. The average kinetic friction coefficient, against type 440C stainless steel, was determined using a friction microprobe to be 0.43.© 1995 American Institute of Physics.