Investigation of intermixing in TiAlN/VN nanoscale multilayer coatings by energy-filtered TEM

• Published in: Surface & coatings technology Vol. 151-152; pp. 209 - 213
• Main Authors: Meidia, H, Cullis, A G, Schonjahn, C, Munz, W D, Rodenburg, J M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 05.06.2001
• ISSN: 0257-8972

We employ high-resolution energy-filtered cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) to estimate the degree of layer intermixing in a TiAlN/VN low friction, wear-resistant nanoscale multilayers with a periodicity of approximately 4 nm grown by industrial-scale unbalanced magnetron ion-assisted PVD. Coatings are examined by high-resolution TEM imaging. A series of high-resolution elemental distribution maps are obtained by tuning the electron energy-loss imaging filter to the core loss energies of the elements present. We compare the experimental composition profiles with calculations, which model intermixing at the interface of the layers by a convolution. Although no physical shutter is employed in the industrial process (the substrate is passed in front of alternating targets in a confined plasma), the resulting layers are well differentiated.