Mechanical and tribological properties of ZrC/VC alloy films deposited by sputtering and pulsed laser deposition
- Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States)
- Univ. of Maine, Orono, ME (United States). Lab. for Surface Science and Technology
A study has been conducted on ZrC/VC alloy thin films prepared by both pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and RF magnetron sputtering. The phase formation, wear particles, and hardness of these thin films were examined. An alloy target comprised of 36% VC and 64% ZrC (atomic %) was used to deposit films at 20, 200, and 400 C. The nominal film thickness was 0.6 {micro}m. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed these films were solid-solution alloys and showed a preference for (100) orientation for sputter-deposited films and a (110) orientation for laser deposition. More highly oriented films were obtained at elevated temperatures as evidenced by rocking curve measurements on the PLD films. The FWHM of the peaks ranged from 2.2 to 8.3{degree} for films deposited at 400 C and 20 C, respectively. Using time-of-flight quadrupole mass spectrometry (TOFQMS), the authors performed plume diagnostics to measure particle energies and the thermalization effects of the background gas. In vacuum, typical ion energies ranged from {approximately}5--100 eV while the neutral atoms had kinetic energies from {approximately}1.5 eV. The measurements show that the background gas can be used to selectively thermalize low mass components in the plume. From measured kinetic energies and collision effects of the gas, the changes in crystallographic structure of the alloy with pressure appear to result from collision-induced effects from condensation of the Zr atoms. This heavy atom effect may be an important new processing parameter with which to adjust film morphology and crystal texture.
- OSTI ID:
- 305523
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-971201-; TRN: 99:002837
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1997 fall meeting of the Materials Research Society, Boston, MA (United States), 1-5 Dec 1997; Other Information: PBD: 1998; Related Information: Is Part Of Thin-films -- Stresses and mechanical properties 7; Cammarata, R.C. [ed.] [Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (United States)]; Nastasi, M. [ed.] [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)]; Busso, E.P. [ed.] [Univ. of London (United Kingdom). Imperial Coll.]; Oliver, W.C. [ed.] [Nano Instruments, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)]; PB: 663 p.; Materials Research Society symposium proceedings, Volume 505
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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