The effect of film composition on the structure and mechanical properties of NiTi shape memory thin films

Shape memory NiTi-based thin films approximately 2 μm thick were deposited onto Si (100) substrates at room temperature by simultaneous DC magnetron sputter deposition from separate elemental Ni and Ti targets. The effect of composition on film structure, surface morphology, transformation temperature and mechanical behavior was studied using variable temperature X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, electrical resistivity, and nanoindentation. The films showed the expected shape memory and superelasticity behavior corresponding to the different film compositions, comparable with bulk properties. The transformation from the low temperature martensitic phase to the high temperature parent phase takes place above room temperature in Ti-rich and near-equiatomic films, and below room temperature in Ni-rich films. Mechanical properties of films investigated at room temperature by a series of nanoindentations at mN loads (indentation depth < 200 nm) with a spherical indenter demonstrate superelasticity in Ni-rich material and martensitic deformation for Ti-rich and near-equiatomic compositions.