Titanium carbide-based coatings were deposited on W substrates at a high coating growth rate by activated reactive evaporation at 500 and 600 degrees C in a L560 Leybold system using propene as reactive atmosphere. The crystal structure, lattice parameter, preferred orientation, and grain size of the coatings were determined by x-ray diffraction technique using Cu K alpha. The analysis of the coating morphology was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the composition of the films was analyzed by Auger electron spectroscopy and electron-probe microanalysis. Experimental results suggested that temperature was one of the most important parameters in the fabrication of stoichiometric TiC coatings. Thus, TiC coatings were obtained at 600 degrees C, whereas TiC0.6 nonstoichiometric coatings codeposited with a free Ti phase were obtained at 500 degrees C, giving rise to the formation of a composite thin film. After annealing at 1000 degrees C, the stoichiometric films remained stable, but a crack pattern was formed over the entire coating surface. In addition, Ti0.6W0.4/TiC0.6 composite thin coatings were obtained for the films synthesized at 500 degrees C. The formation of a Ti0.6W0.4 ductile phase in the presence of a TiC0.6 phase was responsible to avoid the coating cracking. (c) 2008 American Vacuum Society.