Substrate orientation effects on the nucleation and growth of the Mn+1AXn phase Ti2AlC

The Mn+1AXn (MAX) phases are ternary compounds comprising alternating layers of a transition metal carbide or nitride and a third ''A-group'' element. The effect of substrate orientation on the growth of Ti2AlC MAX phase films was investigated by studying pulsed cathodic arc deposited samples grown on sapphire cut along the (0001), (1010), and (1102) crystallographic planes. Characterization of these samples was by x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. On the (1010) substrate, tilted (1018) growth of Ti2AlC was found, such that the TiC octahedra of the MAX phase structure have the same orientation as a spontaneously formed epitaxial TiC sublayer, preserving the typical TiC-Ti2AlC epitaxial relationship and confirming the importance of this relationship in determining MAX phase film orientation. An additional component of Ti2AlC with tilted fiber texture was observed in this sample; tilted fiber texture, or axiotaxy, has not previously been seen in MAX phase films.