Structural and mechanical properties of ZrN films prepared by ion beam sputtering with varying N2/Ar ratio and substrate temperature |
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Authors: | MM Larijani N Tabrizi Sh Norouzian S Lahouti N Afshari |
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Affiliation: | a Nuclear Research Centre for Agriculture and Medicine, AEOI, P.O. Box 31585-498, Karaj, Iran b Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Shaid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran c Plasma Center, Research and Science campus, Azad Islamic University, Pounak, Tehran, Iran |
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Abstract: | Zirconium nitride (ZrN) films were deposited by ion beam sputtering technique on stainless steel 304 substrates using a mix of (Ar+N2) gas. In this paper, the effects of N2/(N2+Ar) flow ratio (F(N2)) and substrate temperature on the microstructure and microscopic properties of the deposited films were investigated. The phase and the morphology were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) respectively; moreover, the composition depth profile of ZrN was obtained using secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). In a wide range of F(N2) (10-54%), the intensity of (1 1 1) peak increased which was the preferred orientation, while for F(N2) more than 54% the ZrN peak intensity was decreased and the amorphous structure was formed at 95%. The XRD patterns presented a texture change due to the processing temperature, which was varied within the range 200-550 °C. At 400 °C, the (1 1 1) crystalline plane intensity was higher than the other ones, leading to the presence of a preference for this orientation. Good planarity of the deposited films was confirmed by SEM, it did not reveal any undulations, fractures, or cracking. The Vickers micro-hardness tester with a load of 25 g was used to measure the hardness of the films. The results showed that the structural and mechanical properties were strongly influenced by nitrogen ratio and substrate temperature. |
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Keywords: | ZrN Ion beam sputtering Stoichiometry Hardness |
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