Mechanical properties and oxidation behavior of ZrNx thin films fabricated through high-power impulse magnetron sputtering deposition

Abstract

ZrNx thin films were deposited on silicon substrates using novel high-power impulse magnetron sputtering. The films were annealed at 600 °C in an atmosphere of 15 ppm O2–N2, and their performance as a protective hard coating on glass molding dies was evaluated. The as-deposited ZrNx thin films were characterized by a high nanohardness of 26–27 GPa and low surface roughness of approximately 0.5 nm. However, the mechanical properties of the ZrNx thin films declined after they were annealed owing to the formation of ZrO2 scales.

Mechanical Properties of Zr–Si–N Films Fabricated through HiPIMS/RFMS Co-Sputtering

“…In a previous study [22], Ta-Zr-N films fabricated by the same HiPIMS/RFMS co-sputtering also exhibited an under-stoichiometric N/(Ta + Zr) ratio of 0.40-0.68. In another previous work [23], ZrNx films prepared using HiPIMS system exhibited an under-stoichiometric N/Zr ratio of 0.65-0.78. The deposition times for Batch II processes were adjusted to fabricate films with similar thickness values of 831-1183 nm.…”

“…Because the HiPIMS process resulted in low deposition rates [18], hybrid HiPIMS/DCMS [21] and HiPIMS/RFMS (radio-frequency magnetron sputtering) [22] were utilized to raise the deposition rate. In a previous study [23], the ZrN x films prepared using HiPIMS system exhibited a nanoindentation hardness level of [26][27] GPa. In this study, Zr-Si-N films were fabricated through HiPIMS/RFMS hybrid process, before the mechanical properties of these films were investigated.…”

Ta–Zr–N Thin Films Fabricated through HIPIMS/RFMS Co-Sputtering

“…The elastic recovery We [29] of the as-deposited Ta-Zr-N thin films exhibited a level of 67%-76%. In a previous study using the same sputtering system [30], the HIPIMS-fabricated ZrNx thin films (x = 0.65-0.78) [29] of the as-deposited Ta-Zr-N thin films exhibited a level of 67%-76%. In a previous study using the same sputtering system [30], the HIPIMS-fabricated ZrN x thin films (x = 0.65-0.78) exhibited a hardness of 26-27 GPa, a Young's modulus of 260-290 GPa, a residual stress of −4.2-−5.2 GPa, and a surface roughness of approximately 0.5 nm in the as-deposited state.…”

“…The elastic recovery We [29] of the as-deposited Ta-Zr-N thin films exhibited a level of 67%-76%. In a previous study using the same sputtering system [30], the HIPIMS-fabricated ZrNx thin films (x = 0.65-0.78) Table 3 shows the mechanical properties of the as-deposited Ta-Zr-N thin films prepared on Si substrates. The nanoindentation hardness of fcc Ta0.81Zr0.19N0.52, Ta0.58Zr0.42N0.59, and Ta0.33Zr0.67N0.68 thin films were 35.5, 35.0, and 30.2 GPa, respectively, whereas the nanoindentation hardness of the Ta0.84Zr0.16N0.40 thin film with mixed phases was 31.9 GPa.…”

“…The annealed Ta0.58Zr0.42N0.59 and Ta0.33Zr0.67N0.68 thin films exhibited local detachment after annealing; hence, the residual stress could not be evaluated. In a previous study [30], the nanoindentation hardness values of the HIPIMS-fabricated ZrNx thin films declined from 26-27 GPa to less than 10 GPa after they were annealed at 600 °C in 15 ppm O2-N2 for 2 h owing to the formation of crystalline ZrO2 scales, which was accompanied by an increase in the surface roughness from 0.5 to 3-6 nm.…”