Fabrication for multilayered composite thin films by dual-channel vacuum arc deposition

A flexible dual-channel curvilinear electromagnetic filter has been designed and constructed to fabricate multilayered composite films in vacuum arc ion plating. The filter possesses two guiding channels and one mixing unit. Multilayered TiNAlN and TiAlN composite films can be produced by controlling the frequency or interval of the two cathodes. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low-angle x-ray diffraction results reveal the periodic Ti and Al structures in the TiNAlN films. The TiAlN films exhibit a smooth surface morphology confirming effective filtering of macroparticles by the filter. High temperature oxidation conducted at 700 °C for an hour indicates that the weight increment in the TiAlN films produced by the dual filter is only half of that of the TiAlN films produced without a filter, thereby showing better resistance against surface oxidation. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.