Adhesion, friction, and wear of plasma-deposited thin silicon nitride films at temperatures to 700 C

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5564084

Miyoshi, K; Pouch, J J; Alterovitz, S A; Pantic, D M; Johnson, G A

The adhesion, friction, and wear behavior of silicon nitride films deposited by low- and high-frequency plasmas (30 kHz and 13.56 MHz) at various temperatures to 700 C in vacuum were examined. The results of the investigation indicated that the Si/N ratios were much greater for the films deposited at 13.56 MHz than for those deposited at 30 kHz. Amorphous silicon was present in both low- and high-frequency plasma-deposited silicon nitride films. However, more amorphous silicon occurred in the films deposited at 13.56 MHz than in those deposited at 30 kHz. Temperature significantly influenced adhesion, friction, and wear of the silicon nitride films. Wear occurred in the contact area at high temperature. The wear correlated with the increase in adhesion and friction for the low- and high-frequency plasma-deposited films above 600 and 500 C, respectively. The low- and high-frequency plasma-deposited thin silicon nitride films exhibited a capability for lubrication (low adhesion and friction) in vacuum at temperatures to 500 and 400 C, respectively.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Cleveland, OH (USA). Lewis Research Center
• OSTI ID: 5564084
• Report Number(s): N-89-11913; NASA-TM--101377; E--4431; NAS--1.15:101377; CONF-8904103--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360203* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Mechanical Properties
ADHESION
DEPOSITION
FILMS
FRICTION
NITRIDES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PNICTIDES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON NITRIDES
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
THIN FILMS
TRIBOLOGY
WEAR