Deposition and characterization of Ti2AlC MAX phase and Ti3AlC thin films by magnetron sputtering

We have deposited phase-pure Ti2AlC and Ti3AlC thin films directly on MgO (100) substrates by reactive radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering above 600 °C for the first time. As-deposited films were characterized with grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Rutherford backscattering (RBS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Single-phase Ti2AlC thin film could be synthesized above 600 °C. RBS results indicates a near-stoichiometric Ti2AlC composition is required to prepare these phase-pure films. The films are polycrystalline and displayed arbitrarily oriented hexagonal laminal grains with lateral dimension varying from 150 nm to 400 nm for deposition temperatures ranging from 600 °C to 710 °C. The Perovskite phase Ti3AlC was observed in the Ti2AlC sample when the sputtering power is 90 W at 615 °C and a single-phase Ti3AlC film was formed at 110 W.