Synthesis and characterization of superhard aluminum carbonitride thin films

• Published in: Diamond and related materials Vol. 14; no. 8; pp. 1348 - 1352
• Main Authors: JI, A. L, MA, L. B, LIU, C, LI, C. R, CAO, Z. X
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier 01.08.2005
• Subjects: Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition by sputtering; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Physics; Atomic force microscopy; Elastic modulus; Inorganic compounds; Stacking sequence; Ternary compounds; Polycrystals; Aluminium Carbonitrides; Composition effect; Crystal growth from vapors; Hardness; Experimental study; Preferred orientation; Aluminum carbonitride; Thin film; Thin films; Magnetrons; Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry; Transmission electron microscopy; Magnetron sputtering; Chemical composition; Reactive sputtering; X-ray photoelectron spectra
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2005.01.036

Oxygen-free aluminum carbonitride thin films were grown on Si (100) substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering of Al target with the gas mixture of Ar, CH4 and N2 as precursor. A complementary set of techniques including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy was employed for the characterization of the deposit chemistry, structure as well as morphology. Film growth proceeds along the preferred [0001] direction with the basal planes twisted because of the frustration in arranging the building blocks for aluminum carbonitrides. Under given conditions, the deposits show a declining tendency of crystallization with increasing carbon content. Strong covalent bonding and structural disorder give the film's extreme mechanical rigidity: Berkovich hardness is over 27.0 GPa for all the deposits, and an extreme value of 53.4 GPa was measured in Al47C20N33.