Ultrathin TiB2 protective films

Abstract
TiB2 thin films demonstrate considerable potential for use as protective overcoats in the magnetic recording industry due to their excellent mechanical and tribological properties and good chemical and thermal stability. In the many studies performed on TiB2 films, the relative effectiveness of ultrathin TiB2 films has not been systematically investigated for very thin TiB2 films. In the present investigation, film stress and microstructure in as-sputtered and annealed ultrathin TiB2 films were investigated as a function of thickness. Ultrathin TiB2 films, as thin as 5 nm, were observed to adequately protect an underlying magnetic layer from oxidation up to 400 °C.