Residual stress in magnetron sputtered TiN

In this study magnetron sputtered TiN layers are investigated with X-ray diffraction. The measurements show that there is a texture present and in these layers a non-linear d-sin(2)psi behavior for the (200) planes was found. The latter cannot be explained by the well-known causes that may generate an oscillating d-sin(2)psi relation like shear stresses or a stress gradient. Assuming that the driving force behind the texture evolution is the ion bombardment, than the preferential orientation is a consequence from the dependence of the sputtering yield on grain orientation. This process may also have an influence on the atomic peening process, which is the main cause of stress generation. The atomic peening generates a hydrostatic pressure in the crystals and a biaxial stress state results because the layer is attached to the substrate. The hydrostatic stress has an influence on the lattice spacing; and becomes d(0)(hydro). Assuming that the peening process is influenced by the grain orientation than d(0)(hydro) becomes also orientation dependent and the plane spacing as a function of the sin(2)psi may exhibit a non-linear behavior.