Mechanical properties of amorphous boron carbon nitride films produced by dual gun sputtering
Journal
Diamond and Related Materials
Journal Volume
12
Journal Issue
9
Pages
1463-1471
Date Issued
2003
Author(s)
Abstract
Mechanical properties and bonding characterisation of amorphous boron carbon nitride (a-BCxNy) films prepared by dual gun sputtering system was studied. The a-BCxNy films deposited at different temperatures and having different carbon concentrations revealed that at lower deposition temperatures (≤200 °C), carbon contents in the range of ∼25 at.% produced the harder films where the hardness and elastic modulus were found to be 12.5 and ∼150 GPa, respectively. For higher deposition temperatures (≥400 °C), carbon content in the range of 40 at.% produced the harder films. The chemical composition and phase identification were done collectively by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to analyse the hybridisation levels of the constituent elements and to show the evolution of different phases in the a-BCxNy network. The low hardness levels were attributed to the unfavourable C(sp)-N bonding configuration in the network, a possible phase separation and high oxygen contents (∼10 at.%) in the film. © 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
SDGs
Type
journal article