MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES AND RAMAN-SPECTRA OF A-C-H AND A-C-H-N COATINGS

Disordered a-C:H and a-C:H:N layers with dispersed Ti atoms were prepa red by d.c, unbalanced planar magnetron sputtering onto HSS substrates covered by titanium buffer. Chemical composition of films was determi ned by Rutherford backscattering analysis, structural aspects were stu died by Raman spectroscopy. According to this, films prepared at tempe ratures higher than 400 degrees C may be classified as glassy carbon. The films exhibit very good overall adhesion and other mechanical prop erties, though results of mechanical experiments are rather peculiar a nd difficult to interpret: microhardness measurement gives unrealistic results because of pronounced cracking in the direction of indenter's diagonals and adhesion is influenced by coatings which are composed f rom titanium buffer and carbon film, i.e. they are bi- layered.