Elastic constants and hardness of ion-beam-sputtered TiN<i>x</i> films measured by Brillouin scattering and depth-sensing indentation

Abstract

TiNx films of various composition have been prepared by reactive-ion-beam sputtering at a deposition temperature of 50 °C. Young’s modulus E and hardness H of these films were measured by a depth-sensing nanoindentation technique, whereas the shear modulus G was obtained by a measurement of the velocity of the acoustic surface wave by Brillouin light scattering. The study was extended over a wide range of stoichiometries, 0≤x≤0.8. A proportionality between E and H has been observed.