Hard multilayered thin films of metal–intermetallic Ni/Ni₃Al

Metal–intermetallic Ni/Ni₃Al multilayered thin films were synthesized by the magnetron sputtering technique. The synthesized films possessed high hardness that could be compared with intermetallic Ni₃Al films. The constituent layers of Ni and Ni₃Al were fully adherent to one another at the multilayered boundaries. The fracture surface of the multilayered films on bending showed the characteristics of local ductile fracture. This novel type of multilayered thin films is expected to be used as hard coatings and miniaturized parts of apparatus in micro-electromechanical systems.