US5624769-A  Erdemir et al, "A Study of the Corrosion Behavior of TiN Films," Mater. Sci. Eng. 69 (1985) 89-93 (month unknown).;  Ernsberger et al, Vac. Sci. Technol. A 4(6) (1986) 2784 (Nov.-Dec.).;  Freller et al, "Electrochemically Measured Porosity of Magnetron Sputtered TiN Films Deposited at Various Substrate Orientations," Vac. Sci. Technol., A 4 (1986) 2691-2694 (Nov.-Dec.).;  Hubler et al, "The Dependence of Hardness and Corrosion Protection Power of Ion-Beam-Assisted Deposition TiN Coatings on the Ion Beam Impact Angle," Surf. Coat. Technol., 60 (1993) 549-555 (month unknown).;  In et al, "Corrosion Behaviour of TiN Films Obtained by Plasma-Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition," J. Mater. Sci., 29 (1994) 1818-1824 (month unknown).;  Jehn et al, "Corrosion Studies with Hard Coating-Substrate Systems," Surf. Coat. Technol., 5455 (1992) 108-114 (month unknown).;  Johansson et al, "Growth and Properties of Single Crystal TiN Films Deposited by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering," J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 3 (1985) 303-307 (Mar.-Apr.).;  Lardon et al, "Morphology of Ion-Plated Titanium and Aluminum Films Deposited at Various Substrate Temperatures," Thin Solid Films, 54 (1978) 317-323 (month unknown).;  Massiani et al, "Study of the Behaviour in Acidic Solution of Titanium and TiN Coatings Obtained by Cathodic Sputtering," Surf. Coat. Technol., 33 (1987) 309-317 (month unknown).;  Narayan et al, "Epitaxial Growth of TiN Films on (100) Silicon Substrates by Laser Physical Vapor Deposition," Appl. Phys. Lett. 61 (11) (1992) 1290-1292 (month unknown).;  Tavi et al, "Corrosion Testing of ZrN and TiN Films," Mater. Sci. Forum, 44-45 (1989) 15-27 (month unknown).;  Telama et al, "A Study of Defects in Sputtered TiN Coatings by Electrochemical Polarization," Vac. Sci. Technol., A 4 (1986) 2911-2914 (Nov.-Dec.).;  Thornton et al, "The Microstructure of Sputter-Deposited Coatings," Vac. Sci. Technol., A 4 (1986) 3059-3065 (Nov.-Dec.).EP780916-A1  JOURNAL OF POWER SOURCES vol. 29, 1990,, pages 367 - 387US37284-E  Erdemir et al, "A Study of the Corrosion Behavior of TiN Films", Mater. Sci. Eng. 69 (1985) 89-93 (Month unknown).;  Ernsberger et al, Vac. Sci. Technol. A 4(6) (1986) 2784 (Nov.-Dec.).;  European Search Report-Application No. EP 96 20 3311 dated Mar. 13, 1997 and Annex to the European Search Report.;  Freller et al, "Electrochemically Measured Porosity of Magnetron Sputtered TiN Films Deposited at Various Substrate Orientations", Vac. Sci. Tecnol., A 4 (1986) 2691-2694 (Nov.-Dec.).;  Hubler et al, "The Dependence of Hardness and Corrosion Protection Power of Ion-Beam-Assisted Deposition Tin Coatings on the Ion Beam Impact Angle", Surf. Coat. Technol., 60 (1993) 549-555 (Month unknown).;  In et al, "Corrosion Behaviour of TiN Films Obtained by Plasma-Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition", J. Mater. Sci., 29 (1994) 1818-1824) (Month Unknown).;  Jehn et al, "Corrosion Studies with Hard Coating-Substrate Systems", Surf. Coat. Technol., 5455 (1992) 108-114 (Month unknown).;  Johansson et al, "Growth and Properties of Single Crystal TiN Films Deposited by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering", J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 3 (1985) 303-307 (Mar.-Apr.).;  Lardon et al, "Morphology of Ion-Plated Titanium and Aluminum Films Deposited at Various Substrate Temperatures", Thin Solid Films, 54 (1978) 317-323 (Month unknown).;  Massiani et al, "Study of the Behaviour in Acidic Solution of Titanium and TiN Coatings Obtained by Cathodic Sputtering", Surf. Coat. Technol., 33(1987) 309-317 (Month unknown).;  Narayan et al, "Epitaxial Growth of Tin Films on (100) Silicon Substrates by Laser Physical Vapor Deposition", Appl. Phys. Lett. 61 (11) (1992) 1290-1292 (Month unknown).;  Tavi et al, "Corrosion Testing of ZrN and TiN Films", Mater. Sci. Forum, 44-45 (1989) 15-27 (Month unknown).;  Telama et al, "A Study of Defects in Sputtered TiN Coatings by Electrochemical Polarization", Vac. Sci. Technol., A 4 (1986) 2911-2914 (Nov.-Dec.).;  Thornton et al, "The Microstructure of Sputter-Deposited Coatings", Vac. Sci. Technol., A 4 (1986) 3059-3065 (Nov.-Dec.).