Microstructural investigation of Ti–Si–N hard coatings

The microstructures of nanostructured Ti–Si–N hard coatings were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and pulsed laser atom probe. C and O impurities were detected. No evidence of increased Si levels at the grain boundaries was found, suggesting that Si is either in the form of a layer too thin to be detected using the techniques employed or in the form of a solid solution of SiN clusters.