Characterization of the mechanical and tribological properties of sputtered a:SiC thin films

Book · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997

OSTI ID:467615

Scharf, T W; Inturi, R B; Barnard, J A ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL (United States). Dept. of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

D.C. magnetron sputtering from a CVD {beta}-SiC target has been utilized to deposit amorphous SiC thin films on various substrates (Corning 7059 glass, unoxidized Si (111), and sapphire). The approximately 1 {micro}m thick films were grown under various Ar sputtering pressures and flow rates. In situ annealing during deposition in vacuum and ex situ post-deposition annealing in air, both at 500 C for two hours, were implemented to determine their effects on the properties of the films. The mechanical properties were assessed via nanoindentation. An accelerated sphere-on-flat(tape) wear tester was administered to measure the wear volume losses and resultant wear rates under 0.1 and 0.2N loads, a 0.024 m/s tape speed, and a 1 mm ruby sphere diameter. An atomic force microscope (AFM) established the wear scar volume losses as well as the surface arithmetic roughness (R{sub A}) and root mean square roughness (RMS) of the films. The amorphous microstructure was verified by X-ray diffractometry. There was a decreasing trend in the plastic contact damage resistance, hardness, elastic modulus, and wear resistance of the films with increased amounts of Ar gas pressure; on the other hand, annealing of the lower Ar content films generated an increase in these properties compared to the as-deposited films. Atomic force microscopy revealed a more pronounced change in surface features and roughness for the in situ annealed films.

• Sponsoring Organization: National Science Foundation, Washington, DC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 467615
• Report Number(s): CONF-960401--; ISBN 1-55899-339-8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
AMORPHOUS STATE
ANNEALING
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
HARDNESS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MICROSTRUCTURE
PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
ROUGHNESS
SILICON
SILICON CARBIDES
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS
WEAR RESISTANCE
YOUNG MODULUS