Structure and adhesion of ZrN films formed by reactive magnetron sputtering ion plating and dynamic ion mixing

Abstract

Ceramic coatings of zirconium nitride have been fabricated on nickel, silicon, and M₂ high‐speed steel by methods of reactive magnetron sputtering ion plating (RMSP) and the dynamic ion mixing (DIM). The microhardness values of ZrN film prepared by RMSP with different nitrogen partial pressure have been discussed. The scratch tests provide that the adhesion of ZrN film produced by dynamic ion mixing is better than that by reactive magnetron sputtering ion plating. Auger electron spectroscopy analysis is used to analyze the composition distribution of ZrN film prepared by DIM and indicates that there is a transitional layer between the ZrN film and substrate. Meanwhile, by cross‐sectional and the plan‐view transmission electron microscopy, it is observed that the interlayer of amorphous structure exists in the interface zone between ZrN film and substrate. According to the analysis of energy‐dispersive x‐ray analysis patterns, the composition of this amorphous region fabricated by RMSP is Ni₅₁Zr₄₉ (≊NiZr), as is that fabricated by DIM. (Up to now it has not been reported that the amorphous transitional layer occurs in reactive magnetron sputtering ion plating). The reason why the adhesion of coating by DIM is better than that by RMSP is not the formation of the transitional layer in ion‐beam‐assisted deposition but the particle bombardment effects on the bulk of the thin film.