A number of M2 steel substrates have been nitrided in a capacitively coupled rf plasma and TiN coated via reactive magnetron sputtering in a continuous (two stage) process. Both nitrided only and fully processed substrates have been characterised by hardness and scratch adhesion testing, scanning electron microscopy,X-ray diffraction, surface profilometry, and Auger electron spectroscopy. Using these techniques to identify important parameters, optimisation of the process has been made possible to give increased hardness and adhesion.
