Effects of Nitrogen Flow Ratio on Structures, Bonding Characteristics, and Mechanical Properties of ZrNx Films
Source abstract
Abstract
ZrNx (x = 0.67–1.38) films were fabricated through direct current magnetron sputtering by a varying nitrogen flow ratio [N2/(Ar + N2)] ranging from 0.4 to 1.0. The structural variation, bonding characteristics, and mechanical properties of the ZrNx films were investigated. The results indicated that the structure of the films prepared using a nitrogen flow ratio of 0.4 exhibited a crystalline cubic ZrN phase. The phase gradually changed to a mixture of crystalline ZrN and orthorhombic Zr3N4 followed by a Zr3N4 dominant phase as the N2 flow ratio increased up to >0.5 and >0.85, respectively. The bonding characteristics of the ZrNx films comprising Zr–N bonds of ZrN and Zr3N4 compounds were examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and were well correlated with the structural variation. With the formation of orthorhombic Zr3N4, the nanoindentation hardness and Young’s modulus levels of the ZrNx (x = 0.92–1.38) films exhibited insignificant variations ranging from 18.3 to 19.0 GPa and from 210 to 234 GPa, respectively.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Metal and Thin Film Mechanics · Diamond and Carbon-based Materials Research · Advanced ceramic materials synthesis
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Optoelectronics and Materials Technology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan
Center of Excellence for Ocean Engineering, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung 20224, Taiwan
Funding
Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
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