| 1. |
- Berlind, Torun, 1965-, et al.
(author)
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Microstructure, mechanical properties, and wetting behaviorof Si-C-N thin films grown by reactive magnetron sputtering
- 2001
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In: Surface and Coatings Technology. - : Elsevier. - 0257-8972. ; 141:2-3, s. 145-155
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Silicon–carbon–nitride (Si–C–N) thin films were deposited by reactive magnetron co-sputtering of C and Si targets in a mixed Ar/N2 discharge. Films were grown to a thickness of more than 0.5 μm on graphite and Si(001) substrates held at a negative floating potential of −35 V, and substrate temperature between 100 and 700°C. The total pressure was constant at 0.4 Pa (3 mtorr), and the nitrogen fraction in the gas mixture was varied between 0 and 100%. As-deposited films were analyzed with respect to composition, state of chemical bonding, microstructure, mechanical properties, and wetting behavior by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nanoindentation and contact angle measurements, respectively. Depending on the deposition condition, ternary SixCyNz films within the composition range 1≤x≤34 at.%, 34≤y≤81 at.%, and 16.5≤z≤42 at.% were prepared with a textured, amorphous-to-graphite-like microstructure. For Si–C–N films with low Si content, C---C, C---N and Si---C bonds were present. At higher Si content, N preferentially bonds to Si, while less C---N bonds were observed. Films containing more than 12 at.% of Si contained widely dispersed crystallites, 2–20 nm in diameter. Incorporation of a few at.% Si resulted in a dramatic reduction of the film surface energy compared to pure CN films. The measured contact angles using distilled water and glycerol liquids were for some films comparable with those on a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Teflon® surface. The hardness of Si–C–N films could be varied over the range 9–28 GPa.
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| 2. |
- Broitman, E., et al.
(author)
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Mechanical and tribological properties of CNx films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering
- 2001
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In: Wear. - 0043-1648 .- 1873-2577. ; 248:1-2, s. 55-64
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The hardness, elasticity, wear rate and friction coefficient of carbon nitride (CNx) films of defined microstructure and composition are presented. CNx films were deposited by dc reactive magnetron sputtering from a C target in N2/Ar plasma. Films were grown on Si (001), Ni, and HSS substrates to thickness of ~0.5 µm at a total pressure of 3 mTorr with the N2 fraction varied from 0 to 1, and the substrate temperature Ts, varied from ambient to 350°C. The mechanical and tribological properties of the coatings were evaluated by nanoindentation and dry ball-on-disk test. For CNx (0 = x = 0.35) films deposited below 200°C (amorphous structure), the elastic recovery and hardness do not change significantly with increasing N concentration, however, the friction coefficient increases from 0.19 to 0.45, while the coating wear rate is low. For CNx (0 = x = 0.15) films grown at Ts = 350°C, where a transition from a graphite-like to a "fullerene-like" phase occurs, a dramatic increase in hardness and elasticity is observed. Furthermore, the rms surface roughness decreases from 15.0 to 0.4 nm. For 0.15 = x = 0.20, CNx films deposited at Ts = 350°C (fullerene-like phase) exhibit a smooth surface, high hardness and elasticity (~90% recovery), and a coefficient of friction against hard steel of ~0.25. For all substrates, film friction coefficient tends to increase as the nitrogen content in the film is increased. Results also indicate the formation of a transfer layer which improves the tribological properties of the films. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 3. |
- Engstrom, C., et al.
(author)
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Design, plasma studies, and ion assisted thin film growth in an unbalanced dual target magnetron sputtering system with a solenoid coil
- 2000
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In: Vacuum. - 0042-207X .- 1879-2715. ; 56:2, s. 107-113
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- An original design and solution to the problem of magnetic field interactions in a vacuum chamber between two unbalanced magnetron sputtering sources and a solenoid coil serving to increase plasma density in near substrate position, is presented. By changing the solenoid coil current strength and direction, plasma growth conditions in an argon discharge and Ti-magnetron cathodes were found to vary in a broad region. Langmuir probe analysis shows that an increase in the coil current from 0 to 6 A caused plasma and substrate floating potentials to change from -7 to -30 V and from +1 to -10 V, respectively, as well as increasing the ion densities to a biased substrate from 0.2 to 5.2 mA cm-2 for each of the magnetrons. By using a ferro-powder magnetic field model, as well as finite element method analysis, we demonstrate the interference of the three magnetic fields - those of the two magnetrons and the solenoid coil. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to study the microstructure and morphology of Ti-films grown under different ion bombardment conditions. At low Ar-ion-to-Ti-atom arrival rate ratios, Jion/Jn to approximately 1.5, at the substrate, variations of the ion energy, Eion, from 8 to 70 eV has only a minor effect on the microstructure and film preferred crystallographic orientation, resulting in an open/porous structure with defect-rich grains. At a higher Jion/Jn value of approximately 20, films with a well-defined dense structure were deposited at ion energies of 80 eV. The increase in ion flux also resulted in changes of the Ti film preferred orientation, from an (0 0 0 2) preferred orientation to a mixture of (0 0 0 2) and (1 0 1¯ 1) orientations.
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| 4. |
- Hellgren, Niklas, et al.
(author)
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Fullerene-like B C N thin films a computational andexperimental study
- 2004
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In: Materials Science and Engineering B. - : Elsevier. ; 113:3, s. 242-247
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Ab initio calculations show that the energy cost for incorporating lattice defects such as pentagons and heptagons is significantly reduced for BCN compared to BN, thus promoting bending of basal planes in these compounds. Boron–carbon–nitride (Bsingle bondCsingle bondN) thin films with a fullerene-like (FL) microstructure were then deposited by dual cathode magnetron sputtering from C and B4C targets. Up to 1 μm thick films were grown at a total gas pressure of 3 mTorr (0.4 Pa) in varying Ar/N2 ratios, and substrate temperatures between 225 and 350 °C. Compositional and microstructural studies were performed using RBS, SEM and HREM, respectively. Depending on the deposition condition, ternary BxCyNz films with fullerene-like microstructure could be prepared in agreement with the calculations within the composition range 0 ≤ x ≤ 53, 15 ≤ y ≤ 62, and 24 ≤ z ≤ 50 at.%. Fullerene-like structures also tend to form at lower temperatures in the case of BCN compared to CN. Nanoindentation measurements show that all BxCyNz films exhibited a highly elastic response independent of elemental composition. In addition, the calculations suggest a driving force for C and BN phase separation.
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| 5. |
- Johansson, M P, et al.
(author)
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Growth of CNx/BN : C multilayer films by magnetron sputtering
- 2000
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In: Thin Solid Films. - 0040-6090 .- 1879-2731. ; 360:1-2, s. 17-23
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Symmetric CNx/BN:C multilayer thin films, with nominal compositional modulation periods of ? = 2.5, 5, and 9 nm were deposited by unbalanced dual cathode magnetron sputtering from C (graphite) and B4C targets in an Ar/N2 (60/40) discharge. The multilayers and single-layer of the constituent CNx and BN:C compounds were grown to a total thickness of 0.5 µm onto Si(001) substrates held at 225°C and a negative floating potential of approx. 30 V (Ei = 24 eV). Layer characterizations were performed by TEM, X-ray reflectivity, RBS, and nanoindentation measurements. Results show that CN0.33 and BN:C (35, 50, and 15 at.% of B, N, and C, respectively) layers were prepared at the above conditions. It is suggested that all films exhibit a three-dimensional interlocked structure with a cylindrical texture in the film growth direction. The structure was continuous over relatively well defined and smooth CNx/BN:C interfaces. All coatings exhibit extreme elasticity with elastic recoveries as high as 85-90% (10 mN maximum load) attributed to the observed structure. However, the multilayers were stiffer and more elastic compared to that of the single-layers and thus shows promise for improved protective properties.
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