Structural and mechanical characterization of nanostructured titanium oxide thin films deposited by filtered cathodic vacuum arc

► Nanocrystalline rutile TiO2 thin films were obtained by filtered cathodic vacuum arc. ► Amorphous-rutile transition was achieved for a substrate temperature (Tsub) > 473 K. ► Rutile films have a columnar structure with a crystallite size of ~ 20 nm. ► Rrms roughness is ~ 2 nm and it is influenced both by Tsub and applied substrate bias. ► Higher hardness (~ 22 GPa) for crystallized and deposited with higher bias films