Titanium nitride (TiN) films were generated in the abnormal glow discharge (AGD) region and the glow-arc transition discharge (GATD) region by varying target current density (Ja) in an Ar/N2 atmosphere in the pulsed DC magnetron sputtering system. The effects of different discharge regions on the structure and mechanical properties of TiN films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), scratch test and micro-hardness test. The results indicated that all TiN films exhibited a strong (220) preferred orientation. Ja of 0.24 A cm−2 was a demarcation point between the AGD and GATD region. Compared with the AGD films, the GATD TiN films exhibited smooth surface, regular dense columnar structures and small grain sizes. Especially, TiN films deposited at 0.4 A cm−2 showed the highest hardness (2388 HV) and the best adhesion (up to 55 N).
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