HIGH-RATE REACTIVE DC MAGNETRON SPUTTERING OF ZROX COATINGS

ZrOx coatings were synthesized using reactive d.c.-magnetron sputterin g of a Zr metal target in argon-oxygen gas mixtures. Pulsed-d.c. power supplies were able to stop arcing on the cathode and on the substrate s. The structure and properties of the ZrOx films were affected by sev eral of the reactive sputtering process variables such as substrate bi as and oxygen partial pressure (P-o2) and by the substrate materials. With automatic feeedback control of P-o2, a series of ZrOx coatings, w here 0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 2, were deposited onto various substrates. With increasing P-o2, the deposition rate de creased, and the phases of the coatings changed from Zr metal, to Zr-O solid solution, to mixtures of Zr-O and monoclinic ZrO2 (m-ZrO2), and finally to m-ZrO2. The hardness of the ZrOx films ranged from 6 to 20 GPa. Highly textured m-ZrO2 films, with either (-111) or (002) prefer red orientation, were deposited. The highest m-ZrO2 rate was 240 nm mi n(-1), which is 75% of the Zr metal deposition rate.