Complex phase compositions in nanostructured coatings as evidenced by photoelectron spectroscopy: The case of Al-Si-N hard coatings

Journal Article · Thu Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3460099· OSTI ID:21476349

Pelisson-Schecker, Aude; Patscheider, Joerg ^[1]; Hug, Hans Josef ^[1]

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1. Laboratory for Nanoscale Materials Science, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, EMPA, Ueberlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Duebendorf (Switzerland)

The chemical state evolution of the Al-Si-N thin films at various Si contents is investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The detailed evolution of the Al 2p, Si 2p, and N 1s photoelectrons line positions and widths are used to identify different chemical environments as the Si content is changed. The results are compared to x-ray diffraction (XRD) data that indicate the formation of a two-phase Al{sub 1-x}Si{sub x}N/SiN{sub y} composite when the solubility limit of 6 at. % of Si in AlN is exceeded. In contrast to XRD data, no particular effect is observed in the XPS data at the solubility limit of Si. Instead, two compositional regions can be identified that are separated by a distinct change in the evolution of core level binding energy differences and chemical shifts at about 10-15 at. % of Si. This silicon concentration is identified as the onset of the formation of a SiN{sub y} intergranular phase that is a few monolayers thick, having a chemical bonding similar to that in bulk silicon nitride. The observed changes in the XPS data coincide well with the structural changes in the material at different silicon contents. The unambiguous identification of phases, especially of minority phases from XPS data, is, however, not possible.

• OSTI ID: 21476349
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 108, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3460099; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALUMINIUM NITRIDES
BINDING ENERGY
CHEMICAL BONDS
CHEMICAL SHIFT
CHEMICAL STATE
COATINGS
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHASE STABILITY
PHASE STUDIES
SILICON
SILICON NITRIDES
SOLUBILITY
THIN FILMS
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
COHERENT SCATTERING
DIFFRACTION
DIMENSIONLESS NUMBERS
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
FILMS
MATERIALS
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PNICTIDES
SCATTERING
SEMIMETALS
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SPECTROSCOPY
STABILITY