Session: B6-3-10

Magnetron Sputtered Nanocrystalline, Metastable (V,Al)(C,N) Hard Coatings

Abstract # 31

Author(s)	Presenter	Correspond
S. Ulrich; Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, IMF I, Germany	X	X
M. Stüber; Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, IMF I, Germany
C. Ziebert; Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, IMF I, Germany
H. Holleck; Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, IMF I, Germany

Abstract:

Nanocrystalline, metastable (V,Al)(C,N) hard coatings with f.c.c structure were deposited by non-reactive r.f.-magnetron sputtering of a ceramic composite target (VC : AlN = 60 mol% : 40 mol%) in a pure argon discharge at 1.1 Pa. The chemical composition of as-deposited coatings was determined by electron microprobe analysis. The nanoscale microstructure of the films was characterized by X-ray and electron diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The influence of ion bombardment, especially the variation of the argon ion energy (20 eV - 170 eV) during film deposition, as a mean to adjust the adatom surface mobility and surface diffusion, on film properties such as hardness (23.3 GPa - 29.6 GPa), reduced Young’s Modulus (450 GPa - 500 GPa), and adhesion (30 N - 45 N critical load of failure in the scratch test) is discussed in detail. Finally, the conditions for the formation of metastable (V,Al)(C,N) thin film microstructure are described in terms of surface processes during film growth and thermodynamic considerations.

Note: Requested an Oral Session.