Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
Nanoscale TiB2/TiN films have been prepared by d.c. and r.f. magnetron non-reactive sputtering and examined by TEM, SAED, SEM, AES, XPS, XRD, AFM as well as nanoindentation. Attention has been focused on both bulk and surface physical-mechanical properties. The effect of the latter on the nanoindentaion test results seems to be very important. Two types of film fracture under a Vickers indentor connected with homogeneous and inhomogeneous deformation have been described.