INFLUENCE OF Si CONTENT ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF (Ti,Zr)1-XSiXN MAGNETRON SPUTTERED FILMS

Abstract

Multicomponent alloying of the transition metal nitride systems is attracting considerable interest to improve the performance of hard and wear resistant coatings. In particular, the TiZrN coatings show an enhanced hardness compared to TiN and ZrN coatings deposited under the same conditions /1-3/. It is reported that, besides higher values of hardness (>30 GPa), the oxidation resistance of TiSiN films at elevated temperatures was superior to that of TiN /4/. The formation of amorphous SiNy interlayers at the TiN grain boundaries /4-6/ is thought to suppress the oxidation process along these high diffusive paths, thus protecting the surrounded dual-phase TiN/SiNy structure. That is why the addition of Si into TiZrN films is considered to be perspective for their hardness and wear resistance enhancement. In the present work, the influence of the silicon content on the phase formation and mechanical properties of TiZrSiN films is investigated.