Thermal stability of sputter-deposited 330 austenitic stainless-steel thin films with nanoscale growth twins

Journal Article · Mon Dec 05 00:00:00 EST 2005 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2135871· OSTI ID:20706471

Zhang, X; Misra, A; Wang, H; Swadener, J G; Lima, A L; Hundley, M F; Hoagland, R G ^[1]

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1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A and M University, College Station, Texas 77843-3123 (United States)

We have explored the thermal stability of nanoscale growth twins in sputter-deposited 330 stainless-steel (SS) films by vacuum annealing up to 500 deg. C. In spite of an average twin spacing of only 4 nm in the as-deposited films, no detectable variation in the twin spacing or orientation of twin interfaces was observed after annealing. An increase in the average columnar grain size was observed after annealing. The hardness of 330 SS films increases after annealing, from 7 GPa for as-deposited films to around 8 GPa for annealed films, while the electrical resistivity decreases slightly after annealing. The changes in mechanical and electrical properties after annealing are interpreted in terms of the corresponding changes in the residual stress and microstructure of the films.

• OSTI ID: 20706471
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 87, Issue 23; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2135871; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANNEALING
AUSTENITIC STEELS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
GRAIN SIZE
HARDNESS
INTERFACES
NANOSTRUCTURES
PRESSURE RANGE GIGA PA
RESIDUAL STRESSES
SPUTTERING
STABILITY
STAINLESS STEELS
SURFACE COATING
THIN FILMS
TWINNING