INFLUENCE OF MAGNETRON SPUTTERING PROCESS PARAMETERS ON WEAR PROPERTIES OF STEEL CR3SI OR CR/MOSX/

The film system steel/Cr3Si or Cr/MoSx was produced by r.f. and d.c. m agnetron sputtering with variation of the following process parameters : working pressure P-Ar; sputter power P; and target-substrate distanc e TSA, in both intermittent and stationary modes. The layer system had a thicknesses <1 mu m; the interlayers were thinner than 100 nm. The chemical characterisation was performed using EDX (energy dispersive X -ray analysis); a structural characterisation was accomplished by X-ra y diffraction. The chemical composition was changed by decreasing the TSA, increasing P-Ar or P, and by changing the mode (intermittent or s tationary). An increase in P-Ar to values greater than 1.3 Pa at a TSA of 40 or 80 mm was found to lead to an increased oxygen content. The layers were microcrystalline and showed no texture for any parameter s et. X-Ray diffraction patterns show mainly the (002) reflection with d ifferent degrees of ordering. The wear properties were investigated wi th the pin-on-disk test. The MoSx layers with (002) reflections withou t additional (100) or (110) reflections showed only small abrasion. Th e formation of this modified MoS, layer is the connecting link between process parameters and wear properties.