Effects of nitrogen selective sputtering and flaking of nanostructured coating TiN, TiAlN, Tialyn, TiCrN, (TiHfzrVNB)n under helium ion irradiation

Abstract

Modelling of parameters of high-fluence ion irradiation of nanostructured TiN, TiAlN, TiAlYN, TiCrN, (TiHfZrVNb)N coatings by the Monte-Carlo method was carried out. The obtained results and proposed mechanisms of processes were experimentally proved in studying the structure of the coatings after irradiation with 500 keV He+ ions in the fluence range from 5 × 1016 ion/cm2 to 3 × 1017 ion/cm2. The effect of depth localization of the maximum concentration of implanted helium on nitrogen selective sputtering from coatings as well as on partial flaking (exfoliation) of coatings was observed for the ion fluences higher than 2 × 1017 ion/cm2. No phase segregation of the solid solution as the main phase in the nanostructured coatings was found after the ion irradiation. No smarco- or microblistering of the coatings after ion irradiation was found, at least to a blister size approximating the nanoscale.