Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Investigation of the adhesion of NbN coatings deposited by pulsed dc reactive magnetron sputtering using scratch tests

  • Published:
Journal of Coatings Technology and Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Scratch tests have been used to investigate the adhesion of niobium nitride (NbN) coatings that were deposited by pulsed dc reactive magnetron sputtering at target currents of 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 A onto M2 tool steel and silicon wafer. The coating adhesion on each material substrate was investigated using a progressive load scratch tester (PLST) and a multi-pass scratch tester (MPST). Microhardness tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were also used to examine the hardness and microstructure of the NbN coatings. These results have indicated that the structural, mechanical, and adhesion properties of the NbN coatings improve with increasing target currents. While performing PLST and MPST tests, the highest adhesion and lowest friction force were obtained for the coatings deposited at a target current of 3.5 A. In addition, the triboscobic behaviors that were observed from the MPST of the coatings indicated that the target currents affect the friction behavior of the coatings.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Duan, DL, Li, S, Zhang, RL, Hu, WY, Li, SZ, “Evaluation of Adhesion Between Coating and Substrate by a Single Pendulum Impact Scratch Test.” Thin Solid Films, 515 2244–2250 (2006)

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Perry, AJ, “The Adhesion of Chemically Vapour-Deposited Hard Coatings to Steel—The Scratch Test.” Thin Solid Films, 78 77–94 (1981)

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Valli, J, “A Review of Adhesion Test Methods for Thin Hard Coatings.” J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A, 4 3001–3014 (1986)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Hintermann, HE, “Adhesion Friction and Wear of Thin Hard Coatings.” Wear, 100 381–397 (1984)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bull, SJ, Rickerby, DS, “New Developments in the Modelling of the Hardness and Scratch Adhesion of Thin Films.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 42 149–164 (1990)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Xie, Y, Hawthorne, HM, “Effect of Contact Geometry on the Failure Modes of Thin Coatings in the Scratch Adhesion Test.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 155 121–129 (2002)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Ashrafizadeh, F, “Adhesion Evaluation of PVD Coatings to Aluminium Substrate.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 130 186–194 (2000)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Bull, SJ, Berasetegui, EG, “An Overview of the Potential of Quantitative Coating Adhesion Measurement by Scratch Testing.” Tribol. Int., 39 99–114 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kamminga, JD, Alkemadeb, PFA, Janssen, GCAM, “Scratch Test Analysis of Coated and Uncoated Nitrided Steel.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 177–178 284–288 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Jacobs, R, Meneve, J, Dyson, G, Teer, DG, Jennett, NM, Harris, P, Von Stebut, J, Comte, C, Feuchter, P, Cavaleiro, A, Ronkainen, H, Holmberg, K, Beck, U, Reiners, G, Ingelbrecht, CD, “A Certified Reference Material for the Scratch Test.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 174–175 1008–1013 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Wolf, SA, Singer, IL, Cukauskas, EJ, Francavilla, TL, Skelton, EF, “Effects of Deposition Parameters on the Properties of Superconducting rf Reactively Sputtered NbN Films.” J. Vac. Sci. Technol., 17 411–419 (1980)

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Singer, IL, Bolster, RN, Wolf, SA, Skelton, EF, Jeffries, RA, “Abrasion Resistance, Microhardness and Microstructures of Single-Phase Niobium Nitride Films.” Thin Solid Films, 107 207–215 (1983)

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Jehn, HA, Kim, JH, Hofmann, S, “Composition and Properties of Transition Metal Nitride Thin Films (ZrN x , NbN x , MoN x ).” Surf. Coat. Technol., 38 715–727 (1988)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Von Stebut, J, “Multi-Mode Scratch Testing—A European Standards, Measurements and Testing Study.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 200 346–350 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Stallard, J, Poulat, S, Teer, DG, “The Study of the Adhesion of a TiN Coating on Steel and Titanium Alloy Substrates Using a Multi-Mode Scratch Tester.” Tribol. Int., 39 159–166 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Havey, KS, Zabinski, JS, Walck, SD, “The Chemistry, Structure, and Resulting Wear Properties of Magnetron-Sputtered NbN Thin Films.” Thin Solid Films, 303 238–245 (1997)

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Cong, W, Xinkang, DU, Tianmin, W, Long, Z, Ning, R, Buliang, C, “Preparation and Optical Properties of Nb-NbN Multilayer Films as Solar Selective Absorptive Coatings.” Rare Met., 25 355–362 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Rodil, SE, Olaya, JJ, Muhl, S, Bhushan, B, Wei, G, “The Influence of the Magnetic Field Configuration on Plasma Parameters and Microstructure of Niobium Nitride Films.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 201 6117–6121 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Savisalo, T, Lewis, DB, Luo, Q, Bolton, M, Hovsepian, P, “Structure of Duplex CrN/NbN Coatings and Their Performance Against Corrosion and Wear.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 202 1661–1667 (2008)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Fontalvo, GA, Terziyska, V, Mitterer, C, “High-Temperature Tribological Behaviour of Sputtered NbNx Thin Films.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 202 1017–1022 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Fenkera, M, Balzera, M, Buchib, RV, Jehna, HA, Kappla, H, Lee, JJ, “Deposition of NbN Thin Films onto High-Speed Steel Using Reactive Magnetron Sputtering for Corrosion Protective Applications.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 163–164 169–175 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Xin-kanga, DU, Tian-mina, W, Conga, W, Bu-liangc, C, Long, Z, “Microstructure and Optical Characterization of Magnetron Sputtered NbN Thin Films.” Chin. J. Aeronaut., 20 140–144 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Sandu, CS, Benkahoul, M, Parlinska-Wojtan, M, Sanjinés, R, Lévy, F, “Morphological, Structural and Mechanical Properties of NbN Thin Films Deposited by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 200 6544–6548 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Chatterjee, S, Shudarshan, TS, Chandrashekhar, S, “Deposition Processes and Metal Cutting Applications of TiN Coatings.” J. Mater. Sci., 27 1989–2006 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. McIntyre, PC, Summerfelt, SR, Maggiore, CJ, “Oxidation Kinetics of TiN Layers Exposed and Beneath Pt Thin Films.” Appl. Phys. Lett., 70(6) 711–713 (1997)

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Zhitomirsky, VN, Grimberg, I, Rapoport, L, Travitzky, NA, Boxman, RL, Goldsmith, S, “Structure and Mechanical Properties of Vacuum Arc-Deposited NbN Coatings.” Thin Solid Films, 326 134–142 (1998)

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. Arnell, RD, Kelly, PJ, Bradley, JW, “Recent Developments in Pulsed Magnetron Sputtering.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 188–189 158–163 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Wong, MS, Sproul, WD, Chu, X, Bamett, SA, “Reactive Magnetron Sputter Deposition of Niobium Nitride Films.” J. Vac. Sci. Technol., 11 1528–1533 (1993)

    CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Ma, CH, Huang, JH, Haydn, C, “Nanohardness of Nanocrystalline TiN Thin Films.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 200 3868–3875 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Sellers, J, “Asymmetric Bipolar Pulsed DC: The Enabling Technology for Reactive PVD.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 98 1245–1250 (1998)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Lee, JW, Tien, SK, Kuo, YC, Chen, CM, “The Mechanical Properties Evaluation of the CrN Coatings Deposited by the Pulsed DC Reactive Magnetron Sputtering.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 200 3330–3335 (2006)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Kelly, PJ, vom Braucke, T, Liu, Z, Arnell, RD, Doyle, ED, “Pulsed DC Titanium Nitride Coatings for Improved Tribological Performance and Tool Life.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 202 774–780 (2007)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Lee, JW, Tien, SK, Kuo, YC, “The Effects of Pulse Frequency and Substrate Bias to the Mechanical Properties of CrN Coatings Deposited by Pulsed DC Magnetron Sputtering.” Thin Solid Films, 494 161–167 (2006)

    Article  CAS  ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. Arslan, E, Baran, Ö, Efeoglu, I, Totik, Y, “Evaluation of Adhesion and Fatigue of MoS2–Nb Solid-Lubricant Films Deposited by Pulsed-dc Magnetron Sputtering.” Surf. Coat. Technol., 202–11 2344–2348 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgment

The author would like to thank Prof. Dr. Ihsan Efeoglu and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ersin Arslan for their valuable suggestions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Ataturk University, Erzurum, Turkey

    Yasar Totik

Authors
  1. Yasar Totik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yasar Totik.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Totik, Y. Investigation of the adhesion of NbN coatings deposited by pulsed dc reactive magnetron sputtering using scratch tests. J Coat Technol Res 7, 485–492 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11998-009-9200-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11998-009-9200-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation