Colorimetric properties of TiN coating implanted by aluminum

TiN coating was prepared by cathodic arc deposition and implanted aluminum using a metal vacuum vapor arc ion source with doses ranging from 5 × 1016 to 2 × 1017 ions/cm2. The purpose of this work was to determine the dependence of the colorimetric properties of TiN films on the implanting conditions, especially by the aluminum ion implantation. The colorimetry of coatings was evaluated quantitatively in terms of CIE L*a*b*. The color coordinate values L*, a*, and b* provide a numerical representation of the color of the surface. With the dose increasing, the surface color has no obvious change but the surface turns brighter, and a* as well as b* values all decline. The X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the aluminum implantation induced a slight shift of diffraction peaks. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy was employed to analyze the surface valence states. The oxygen in surface top layer does not decrease a* and b* values, it partially combined with nitrogen.