Title: Combinatorial Approach to the Growth of Al-Cr-O-N Thin Films by Reactive r.f. Magnetron Sputtering

37th International Conference On Metallurgical Coatings And Thin Films
ICMCTF 2010 April 26 – April 30, 2010, San Diego, California, USA

Symposium B, Session B 6-2

Hard and Multifunctional Nano-Structured Coatings

D. Diechle, M. Stueber, H. Leiste, S. Ulrich

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Materials Research I (Germany)

The PVD synthesis of wear and oxidation resistant aluminum oxide and derivative coatings is currently attracting large scientific and technical interest. Ternary Al-Cr-O thin films with mechanical properties comparable or superior to binary Al-O thin films can be deposited at moderate deposition temperatures. New coatings from the quaternary Al-Cr-O-N system could even offer increased strength, hardness and toughness. A combinatorial approach to the growth of Al-Cr-O-N thin films by means of reactive r.f. magnetron sputtering will be presented. For specific deposition conditions well adherent, nanocrystalline Al-Cr-O-N thin films with high Vickers hardness and elastic modulus values were grown at non-equilibrium conditions on cemented carbide and silicon substrates. Detailed results on the coatings composition, constitution, microstructure and properties will be presented and discussed in comparison to ternary Al-Cr-O thin films deposited under identical conditions.