Surface Analysis of Hard Coatings Deposited by Modified Pulse Arc Process

The modified pulse arc process is a new development for the deposition of thin films. TiN, CrN, and TiBN were deposited on stainless steel and polished high speed steel. The emission of droplets was investigated using the commercial d.c. cathodic arc deposition and the modified pulse arc deposition. For a global expression of deposited droplets, the surfaces were scanned with a profilometer. The droplet density was established by counting the droplets in scanning micrographs of thin film surfaces. The results of the analysis show that the new process can reduce the deposited droplets. However, this is influenced by the pulse parameters. The chemical composition of the films is independent of the deposition process used. (Author)