The influence of substrate temperature on the tribo- mechanical properties of chromium nitride thin films

Different nitrides such as titanium nitride, chromium nitride and so on are used in a widespread range of applications such as cutting tools, medical implants, and microelectromechanical devices and all that due to their mechanical, physical and chemical properties. The aim of this study is to obtain chromium nitride thin films and to characterize them by atomic force microscopy investigations. The chromium nitride thin films were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering on silicon substrates. During the deposition process, the discharge current, the argon and nitrogen flows, the pressure inside the chamber and the deposition time were kept constant. A chromium target with a purity of 99.95 % was used. Some of the films were deposited after a chromium buffer layer was previously deposited on the silicon substrate. The deposition was carried out when substrate temperature was at room temperature, at 300 and 500°C respectively. Once the films were deposited, atomic force microscopy investigations were performed in order to emphasize the influence of the substrate temperature on the topographical, mechanical and tribological characteristics. The results pointed out an important influence of the substrate temperature on topographical, mechanical and tribological properties of the investigated chromium nitride thin films.