Al-rich AlTin-based films

A method for depositing an AlTiN-based film on a surface of a substrate to be coated using a PVD process, the method comprising:

• providing an AlTi—N-based film with a chemical composition in atomic percentage corresponding to the formula (AlaTib)(NcArd)y with 0≤d<0.02, 1≥c>0.98, a+b=1, c+d=1 and a>0.75, where a, b, c and d are an atomic fraction of a concentration of aluminum, titanium, nitrogen and argon, respectively, and 0.8≤y≤1.2;
• using at least one target comprising Al and Ti as material source for providing metallic elements for forming the AlTiN-based film;
• and
• sputtering the at least one target in an atmosphere comprising nitrogen gas as reactive gas using High Power Pulse Magnetron Sputtering;
• wherein the Al-content in the at least one target—in relation to the Ti-content—in atomic percentage is 76% or higher,
• coating parameters are selected so that a mobility of atoms being involved in a formation of the AlTiN-based film at the substrate surface is reduced in such a manner that a metastable solubility of Al in a crystallographic cubic phase of the AlTiN-based film is increased, thereby synthesizing said AlTiN-based film that exhibits a crystallographic cubic phase and internal compressive stresses and does not exhibit X-ray peaks corresponding to wurtzite phase of Al—N, and
• the coating parameters involve maintaining a substrate temperature at a value between 150° C. and 300° C.