Reactive sputtered TixNbyN coatings. II : effect of common deposition parameters

TiNbN coatings are being applied to orthopaedic hip and knee implants for the purpose of improved wear resistance and reduced friction during application. However, the performance of these coatings is not always satisfactory and improvements in reliability in particular, are needed. Fundamentally, this stems from a lack of materials processing knowledge. In the present investigation, Ti x Nb y N z coatings have been processed using reactive magnetron sputtering. The aim has been to establish the fundamental relationships that exist between several common sputtering parameters and the material properties exhibited by the resulting coatings. The sputtering parameters include deposition pressure, nitrogen partial pressure, applied substrate heating, and applied substrate bias, and the materials properties include composition, structure, microstructure and surface roughness. The present investigation is the second of a two component investigation on the processing of Ti x Nb y N z coatings.