SIMS investigation of MoS2 based sputtercoatings

Several multicomponent lubrication thin films consisting of TiAlN and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) were manufactured by magnetron cosputtering using different process parameters. The resulting thin films were analyzed by SIMS depth profiling, electron probe micro analysis (EPMA) and X-ray diffraction. EPMA measurements are used to determine the concentration of major elements of the thin film and to calculate relative sensitivity factors (RSFs) for SIMS quantification of the depth profiles. Whereas the concentration of titanium, aluminum and nitrogen nearly conforms the stoichiometric composition of TiAlN2, the concentration of molybdenum and sulfur are almost equal and do not comply the anticipated ratio of stoichiometric MoS2 in all analyzed lubrication films. X-ray diffraction has been used to proof the amorphous nature of the film but also shows a significant difference in the crystalline structure between a pure TiAlN film and layers with cosputtered MoS2. While the TiAlN/MoS2 cosputtered films are completely amorphous the TiAlN layer includes cubic TiN in an otherwise amorphous film. SIMS depth profiling indicates a constant amount of all analyzed elements through the film except sulfur which decreases from the surface to the bottom of the layer.