Synthesis and characterization of single-phase epitaxial Cr2N thin films by reactive magnetron sputtering
Cr 2 N is commonly found as a minority phase or inclusion in stainless steel, CrN-based hard coatings, etc. However, studies on phase-pure material for characterization of fundamental properties are limited. Here, Cr 2 N thin films were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering onto (0001) sapphire...
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Veröffentlicht in: | Journal of materials science 2019-01, Vol.54 (2), p.1434-1442 |
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Hauptverfasser: | , , , , , , , , |
Format: | Artikel |
Sprache: | eng |
Schlagworte: | |
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Zusammenfassung: | Cr
2
N is commonly found as a minority phase or inclusion in stainless steel, CrN-based hard coatings, etc. However, studies on phase-pure material for characterization of fundamental properties are limited. Here, Cr
2
N thin films were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering onto (0001) sapphire substrates. X-ray diffraction and pole figure texture analysis show Cr
2
N (0001) epitaxial growth. Scanning electron microscopy imaging shows a smooth surface, while transmission electron microscopy and X-ray reflectivity show a uniform and dense film with a density of 6.6 g cm
−3
, which is comparable to theoretical bulk values. Annealing the films in air at 400 °C for 96 h shows little signs of oxidation. Nano-indentation shows an elastic–plastic behavior with
H
= 18.9 GPa and
E
r
= 265 GPa. The moderate thermal conductivity is 12 W m
−1
K
−1
, and the electrical resistivity is 70 μΩ cm. This combination of properties means that Cr
2
N may be of interest in applications such as protective coatings, diffusion barriers, capping layers and contact materials. |
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ISSN: | 0022-2461 1573-4803 1573-4803 |
DOI: | 10.1007/s10853-018-2914-z |