Diffusion in TiN/B-C-N multi-layers during vacuum annealing at temperatures of up to 1000C, with or without 300keV Ar bombardment, was studied. An effect of stress upon diffusion was proved by performing annealing or irradiation with and without a compressive stress. Demixing or phase separation was observed during thermal annealing. On the other hand, mixing occurred during irradiation. Both phenomena were enhanced by stress.

Stress-related interdiffusion in dc sputtered TiN/B-C-N multilayers S.Fayeulle, M.Nastasi: Applied Physics Letters, 1998, 73[8], 1077-9