Effect of Substrate Bias Voltage on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cr-Nb-Ti-Zr-N-O Ceramic Thin Films Produced by Reactive Sputtering

Hard coatings are applied in various applications to protect substrates from wear and corrosion. In the present study, multi-element ceramic films deposited by reactive sputtering. The level of substrate bias voltage (−50, −125 −200 V) is changed investigate structural mechanical properties Cr-Nb-Ti-Zr-N thin films. Chemical analysis (using EDS, XRD Raman spectroscopy) reveals that these (with a high amount oxygen) composed nanocomposite phase structure (amorphous nano-crystalline phases). CrO2 NbxN crystalline phases exist an amorphous matrix coatings. By increasing (from −50 V), nitrogen content 30 40 at. %) increases, CrxN generated S125 S200. Morphological, topological image (employing FESEM AFM) data show intermediate (sample S125) can produce uniform surface with minimum defect density (15%). addition, has roughness (16.6 nm), skewness (0.2) kurtosis (2.8). Therefore, hardness, toughness resistance (extracted indentation scratch tests) this sample maximum (H 24.5 GPa H/E 0.107), while S50 shows complete fracture delamination.