Structure and Mechanical Properties of CrN Thick Films Deposited by High-Rate Medium-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

• Published in: Plasma science & technology Vol. 12; no. 4; pp. 442 - 446
• Main Author: 刘传胜 王红军 周霖 张瑞 田灿鑫 黎明 付德君
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.08.2010
• Subjects: Chromium nitride; Deposition; Diffraction; Electron sources; Hardness; Magnetron sputtering; Silicon substrates; Thick films; X-rays; 中频电源; 力学性能; 扫描电子显微镜; 柱状结构; 氮化铬; 沉积率; 磁控溅射; 高速率
• ISSN: 1009-0630
• DOI: 10.1088/1009-0630/12/4/12

A home-made electron source assisted medium-frequency （MF） magnetron sputter- ing system was used to deposit thick CrN films on silicon and tungsten carbide substrates at various nitrogen flow rates with a fixed total pressure （0.3 Pa） and MF power （11.2 kW）. Result from scanning electron microscopy showed that the deposited CrN films have clear columnar struc- ture, and X-ray diffraction revealed a preferred orientation of CrN （200） for samples prepared at a rate of N2/（N2＋Ar） below 60%, whereas those prepared at higher N2/（N2＋Ar） rate are dom- inated by Cr2N. Deposition rates up to 12.5 μm/h were achieved and the hardness of the CrN coatings were in a range of 11 GPa to 18 GPa.