Slow positron annihilation studies of defects in metal implanted TiN coatings

Positron annihilation spectroscopy has been used to investigate the effects of metal ion implantation on the defect density of TIN coatings deposited onto cemented carbide substrates by chemical vapour deposition (CVD). With a range of ions, accelerated up to 70 kV, at doses up to 2.8 x 10(17) ions/cm(2), it was found that defect levels increase with dose, ion energy and ion mass and correlate with the momentum transfer from the ion beam. For higher ion masses, sputtering removes damaged material. Anomalously high defect levels are produced by yttrium ion implantation.