Correlation between Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of TiC Films Produced by Vacuum arc Deposition and Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

We have studied the synthesis of TiC films by vacuum arc deposition and reactive magnetron sputtering over a wide range of compositions. The films were deposited on silicon and tool steel. The films were characterized by various techniques: Auger electron and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, Rutherford backscattering, transmission electron diffraction and X-ray diffraction. Mechanical properties such as stress, adhesion, friction coefficient and wear resistance were obtained by carrying measurements of the curvature of the silicon substrate, pull tests, and ball-on-disk tests, respectively

SiOxNy thin films with variable refraction index: Microstructural, chemical and mechanical properties

In this work amorphous silicon oxynitride films with similar composition (ca. Si0.40N0.45O0.10) were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering from a pure Si target under different N2-Ar mixtures. Rutherford backscattering (RBS) studies revealed that the coatings presented similar composition but different density. The mechanical properties evaluated by nanoindentation show also a dependence on the deposition conditions that does not correlate with a change in composition. An increase in nitrogen content in the gas phase results in a decrease of hardness and Young's modulus. The microstructural study by high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM-FEG) on non-metalized samples allowed the detection of a close porosity in the form of nano-voids (3-15 nm in size), particularly in the coatings prepared under pure N2 gas. It has been shown how the presence of the close porosity allows tuning the refraction index of the films in a wide range of values without modifying significantly the chemical, thermal and mechanical stability of the film. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Authors thank the financial support from the European Commission (Sixth Framework Programme), Project NoE EXCELL, Spanish Ministry MICINN (CONSOLIDER FUN COAT) and Junta de Andalucía (group TEP217). V. Godinho thanks the I3P program of CSIC for a pre-doctoral grant.Peer Reviewe

Improving the atmospheric plasma deposition of crystalline inorganic coatings

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