Structural stability of decorative ZrNxOy thin films

[摘要] ZrNxOy thin films were prepared by rf reactive magnetron sputtering. The thermal stability of the coatings was tested in vacuum for an annealing time of I h in the temperature range 400-800 degrees C. Residual stresses originated by the deposition process were partially or almost completely released with the annealing, which is consistent with the X-ray diffraction results. Samples with low oxygen fraction (0.10 < f(O2)< 0.22) showed no significant changes in hardness after thermal annealing at 800 degrees C. For intermediate and high oxygen fractions, an initial decrease in hardness at 600 degrees C annealing is followed by an inversion at the highest temperatures (700 and 800 degrees C, respectively), resulting from possible oxide phases crystallization, defect annealing at high temperatures and some extended phase segregations. The increase in the oxygen fraction is followed by a decrease of hardness in the as-deposited samples towards the values of pure ZrO2. No significant changes in colour were observed with the annealing. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[发布日期] 2005-10-01

[效力级别]  Proceedings Paper

[关键词] sputtering;zirconium nitride;thermal degradation