Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of TaN Thin Films Prepared by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

Coatings

Anna Zaman¹  Efstathios I. Meletis¹ 

[1] Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA;

关键词: tantalum nitride;    coatings;    magnetron sputtering;    hardness;    microstructure;   

DOI  :  10.3390/coatings7120209

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Reactive magnetron sputtering was used to deposit tantalum nitride (Ta–N) thin films on Si substrate. The effect of varying the N2 percentage in the N2/Ar gas mixture on the Ta–N film characteristics was investigated. Mechanical and tribological properties were studied using nanoindentation and pin-on-disc wear testing. Decreasing the N2 content in the gas mixture was found to change the film structure from face centered cubic (fcc) TaN (from 25% to 10% N2) to highly textured fcc TaN (at 7% N2) to a mixture of fcc TaN1.13 and hexagonal Ta2N (at 5% N2), and finally to hexagonal Ta2N (at 3% N2). A high hardness of about 33 GPa was shown by the films containing the hexagonal Ta2N phase (5% and 3% N2). Decreasing the N2 content below 7% N2 was also found to result in microstructural refinement with grain size 5–15 nm. Besides the highest hardness, the film deposited with 3% N2 content exhibited the highest hardness/modulus ratio (0.13), and elastic recovery (68%), and very low wear rate (3.1 × 10−6 mm3·N−1·m−1).

【 授权许可】

Unknown