Sputter deposition of bcc tantalum films with TaN underlayers for protection of steel

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-8-2005

Abstract

Deposition of tantalum films for protective coatings on steel has been investigated. The desired tough and ductile bcc phase of tantalum, rather than the normally deposited hard and brittle tetragonal phase, has been grown by DC magnetron sputtering on unheated substrates first covered with thin layers of tantalum nitride. The nitride was formed by reactive sputtering with nitrogen gas, with the same DC magnetron source and target as used for deposition of tantalum. The crystal structure and composition of the nitride promoting the growth of bcc Ta, previously undefined, has been identified as the metastable fcc (NaCl like) TaN. Alignment of the (111) crystallographic planes of fcc TaN with (110) planes of bcc Ta is discussed as a possible mechanism for this effect. The minimum thickness of TaN underlayer on steel, required to promote the growth of bcc Ta, has been established and found to be dependent on the substrate surface preparation. Scratch tests with a diamond tip showed that the nitride underlayer does not compromise the film adhesion. Stable and well-adhering coatings of bcc Ta with thickness ranging from tens of nanometers to tens of micrometers on steel with a thin TaN underlayer were obtained. The process of deposition of bcc Ta films, including the formation of TaN underlayers is described in detail. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identifier

13844255607 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Thin Solid Films

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2004.10.020

ISSN

00406090

First Page

295

Last Page

302

Issue

2

Volume

476

Grant

DAAE30-98-C-1050

Fund Ref

Nanjing Institute of Technology

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