Preparation of titanium carbon nitride films by reactive high power pulsed sputtering Penning discharges

Titanium carbon nitride (TiCN) films are prepared by reactive high power pulsed sputtering (HPPS) Penning discharges at a total pressure of 0.7 Pa and an average power of about 60 W, where the N2 fraction is 5%. The area ratio (RTC) of carbon target to the overall target is increased from 0 to 50%. This system can be regarded as a kind of double HPPS system with simultaneity. The peak value of the instantaneous power ranges between 3 and about 16 kW. It means that the peak power density range corresponds to 0.3–1.3 kWcm−2.