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Epitaxial Ti2GeC, Ti3GeC2, and Ti4GeC3 MAX-phase thin films grown by magnetron sputtering

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Abstract

We have grown single-crystal thin films of Ti2GeC and Ti3GeC2 and a new phase Ti4GeC3, as well as two new intergrown MAX-structures, Ti5Ge2C3 and Ti7Ge2C5. Epitaxial films were grown on Al2O3(0001) substrates at 1000 °C using direct current magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction shows that Ti–Ge–C MAX-phases require higher deposition temperatures in a narrower window than their Ti–Si–C correspondences do, while there are similarities in phase distribution. Nanoindentation reveals a Young’s modulus of 300 GPa, lower than that of Ti3SiC2. Four-point probe measurements yield resistivity values of 50–200 µΩcm. The lowest value is obtained for phase-pure Ti3GeC2(0001) films.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics IFM, Thin Film Physics Division, Linköping University, SE-58183, Linköping, Sweden

    H. Högberg, P. Eklund, J. Emmerlich, J. Birch & L. Hultman

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  1. H. Högberg
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  2. P. Eklund
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  3. J. Emmerlich
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  4. J. Birch
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  5. L. Hultman
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Högberg, H., Eklund, P., Emmerlich, J. et al. Epitaxial Ti2GeC, Ti3GeC2, and Ti4GeC3 MAX-phase thin films grown by magnetron sputtering. Journal of Materials Research 20, 779–782 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2005.0105

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2005.0105

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