Structure–property relations of arc-evaporated Al–Cr–Si–N coatings

摘要: Abstract The addition of silicon to the widely used aluminum-containing transition metal nitrides is promising for synthesis hard and thermally stable films with good oxidation resistance. For that reason, Al–Cr–Si–N coatings were deposited by reactive cathodic arc-evaporation under industrial conditions from Al70Cr30 − xSix (x = 0, 1, 2, 5 at.%) targets at substrate bias voltages ranging − 40 V − 150 V. structure well adherent was investigated X-ray diffraction Raman spectroscopy, which indicated higher Al/Cr ratio > 1.9 an increased tendency metastable face-centered cubic solid solution AlN in CrN separate into a cubic–hexagonal phase mixture. At voltages, this effect gradually inverted single can be retained. photoelectron spectroscopy revealed dominant Si–N bonds suggesting either substitutional or phase. Mechanical properties, i.e. hardness elastic modulus, measured indentation together stress evolution demonstrate beneficial conservation