Microstructure and materials properties of understoichiometric TiBx thin films grown by HiPIMS

Use of cleaved wedge geometry for plan‐view transmission electron microscopy sample preparation

“…STEM images in Figure 5b,c reveals the atomic scale characteristics of the film and proves the proposed preparation method to be capable of delivering a high-quality specimen for plan-view TEM analysis. In fact, the maturity of the proposed preparation method is verified by its successful application in a handful of the studies elsewhere Bakhit, Palisaitis, Thörnberg, et al, 2020;Bakhit et al, 2021;Dorri et al, 2021;Mockute et al, 2019;Mockuté et al, 2017;Nedfors et al, 2016;Nedfors et al, 2019;Nedfors et al, 2020;Novoselova et al, 2018;Palisaitis et al, 2021;Thörnberg et al, 2020). Further, it was observed that for films with a weak adhesion to the substrate, proposed sample cleaving produce (Figure 1) produces the cleave wedge with the substrate-fee films sticking out from the wedge.…”

“…In fact, the maturity of the proposed preparation method is verified by its successful application in a handful of the studies elsewhere F I G U R E 4 SEM images showing the plan-view FIB liftout steps from the cleaved wedge: 4.1 milling trench from the substrate-side (a), 4.2 milling frame around lamella (b), 4.3 milling electron transparent window from the substrate-and film-sides (c), 4.4 transfer to the MEMS chip, (d) and 4.5 final sample (e). High-magnification STEM images recorded from as prepared film Bakhit, Palisaitis, Thörnberg, et al, 2020;Bakhit et al, 2021;Dorri et al, 2021;Mockute et al, 2019;Mockuté et al, 2017;Nedfors et al, 2016;Nedfors et al, 2019;Nedfors et al, 2020;Novoselova et al, 2018;Palisaitis et al, 2021;Thörnberg et al, 2020). Further, it was observed that for films with a weak adhesion to the substrate, proposed sample cleaving produce (Figure 1) produces the cleave wedge with the substrate-fee films sticking out from the wedge.…”

Influence of W Addition on Microstructure and Resistance to Brittle Cracking of TiB2 Coatings Deposited by DCMS

“…The nonstoichiometric of TiB y phase with deficiency of B can be formed as B-rich tissue amorphous phase separating stoichiometric TiB 2 nanocolumnar structures. Another explanation is given by J. Thörnberg et al [ 27 ] who, in coating TiB 2 deposited by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS), identified tightly packed TiB 2 nanocolumnar structures with planar defects of Ti-enriched stacking faults, accommodating the B deficiency.…”

“…This effect can be explained by two reasons. First is the presence of nonstoichiometric phase TiB 1.94 in coating, and the second is a decrease in crystalline size with increasing content of W. The highest brittle cracking resistance in thin films TiB x was observed by Thörnberg et al [ 27 ]. He showed that, by changing the stoichiometry in TB 2 coating, we can influence brittle cracking resistance.…”

“…The magnetron power for the target TiB2 was constant, but the magnetron power for target W was changed during the process. Changing the power of the tungsten magnetron affects the plasma density and chamber pressure, which could have resulted in a similar effect as in work [27], i.e., nonstoichiometric Ti-W-B. Smolik et al [19] explained this effect by nanostructures of coatings, which is a consequence of a change in the direction of cracking.…”