COMPLEX CHARACTERIZATION OF VACUUM ARC-DEPOSITED CHROMIUM NITRIDE THIN-FILMS

Chromium nitride layers were deposited on stainless steel substrates u sing the vacuum-are technique. The nitrogen pressure was varied during film preparation. The chemical composition of the layers was determin ed by XPS and RES. Special attention was paid to XRD including phase a nalysis, texture evaluation and stress determination, Different phase compositions were found depending on nitrogen incorporation. Only the film prepared under floating bias potential contained the nearly stoic hiometric mononitride. The lattice constants of all detected phases sh ow some deviation from tabulated values, The coatings are strongly tex tured, All films exhibit compressive residual stress. After subtractin g the thermal stress the intrinsic stress was still found to be compre ssive and of low level. It was practically independent of the nitrogen concentration in the films. Excellent thermal stability of the coatin gs can be concluded from tempering experiments.