Effect of Al Sputtering Current on Structure of CrAlN Thin Films Prepared by Reactive DC Magnetron Co-Sputtering

Abstract:

Chromium aluminium nitride (CrAlN) thin films were deposited on Si by reactive DC magnetron co-sputtering technique. The effect of Al sputtering current (I_Al) on the crystal structure, elemental composition, thickness, microstructure and hardness were determined by XRD, EDS, AFM and FE-SEM and Nanoindentation, respectively. The results showed that, the as-deposited films were formed as a (Cr,Al)N solid solution with low Al sputtering current, whereas the amorphous structure can be found at high Al sputtering current. The film thickness and roughness was in range of 347 - 1047 nm and 1.45 - 3.37 nm, respectively. The elemental composition of the films varied with the Al sputtering current. The FE-SEM results indicated that the simultaneous evolution in grain refinement with cross-section microstructure through the Al sputtering current. The film hardness increased from 36 GPa to 46 GPa with increasing of Al contents.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 866)
• Pages: 322-325
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.866.322
• Online since: June 2017
• Authors: Amonrat Khambun, Adisorn Buranawong, Nirun Witit-Anun*
• Keywords: CrAlN Thin Films, Reactive DC Magnetron Co-Sputtering, Sputtering Current

References

[1] P.H. Mayrhofer, H. Willmann, C. Mitterer, Oxidation kinetics of sputtered Cr–N hard coatings, Surf. Coat. Tech. 146-147(2001) 222–228.

DOI: 10.1016/s0257-8972(01)01471-2

[2] A. Kayani, T.L. Buchanan, M. Kopczyk, C. Collins, J. Lucas, K. Lund, R. Hutchison, P.E. Gannon, M.C. Deibert, R.J. Smith, D.S. Choi, V.I. Gorokhovsky, Oxidation resistance of mangetron-sputtered CrAlN coatings on 430 steel at 800 OC. Surf. Coat. Tech. 201(2006).

DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2006.08.049

[3] M. Uchida, N. Nihira, A. Mitsuo, K. Toyoda, K. Kubota, T. Aizawa, Friction and wear properties of CrAlN and CrVN films deposited cathodic arc ion plating method. Surf. Coat. Tech. 177-178(2004) 627-630.

DOI: 10.1016/s0257-8972(03)00937-x

[4] M. Brizuela, A. Garcia-Luis, J.I. Braceras, J. I. Onate, J. C. Sanchez-Lopez, D. Martınez-Martınez, C. Lopez-Cartes, A. Fernandez, Magnetron sputtering of Cr(Al)N coatings: Mechanical and tribological study. Surf. Coat. Tech. 200(2005) 195-197.

DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2005.02.105

[5] J. Lin, J.J. Moore, B. Mishra, M. Pinkas, W.D. Sproul, J.A. Rees, Effects of substrate bias frequencies on characteristics of chromium nitride coatings deposited by pulsed DC reactive magnetron spurrering. Surf. Coat. Tech. 2102(2008) 1418-1436.

DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2007.06.068

[6] Y.X. Wang, S. Zhang, J.W. Lee, W.S. Lew, B. Li, Influence of bias voltage on the hardness and toughness of CrAlN coatings via magnetron sputtering. Surf. Coat. Tech. 206(2012) 5103-5107.

DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2012.06.041

[7] S. Knamseh, M. Nose, T. Kawabata, A. Saiki, K. Matsuda, K. Terayama, S. Ikeno, Effect of deposition conditions on the structure and properties of CrAlN films prepared by pulsed DC reactive sputtering in FTS mode at high Al content. Materials Transactions. 49(2008).

DOI: 10.2320/matertrans.mra2008604

[8] J. C. Sánchez-López, A. Contreras, S. Domínguez-Meister, A. García-Luis, M. Brizuela, Tribological behaviour at high temperature of hard CrAlN coatings doped with Y or Zr. Thin Solid Films. 550(2014) 413–420.

DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.10.041

[9] L. Karlsson, L. Hultman, M.P. Johansson, J-E. Sundgren, H. Ljungcrantz, Growth, microstructure, and mechanical properties of arc evaporated TiCxN1-x (0 <= x <= 1) films. Surf. Coat. Tech. 126(2000) 1-14.

DOI: 10.1016/s0257-8972(00)00518-1

[10] Y. Chunyan, W. Shebin, T. Linhai, L. Tianbao, X. Bingshe, Microstructure and mechanical properties of CrAlN caotings deposited by modified ion beam enhanced magnetron sputtering on AISI H13 steel. J. Matter. Sci. 44(2009) 300-305.

DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2008.10.089