STRUCTURAL-ANALYSIS OF SPUTTERED (W-C)1-XMX (M-EQUIVALENT-TO-FE,CO) FILMS WITH LESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-X-LESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-0.20

Structural characterization of (W-C)1-xMx (M = Fe,Co) films with 0 les s-than-or-equal-to x less-than-or-equal-to 0.20 was carried out using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and trans mission electron microscopy-electron diffraction (TEM-ED). The results showed that the structure of these films depends on the percentage of iron and cobalt and becomes amorphous with increasing content of thes e elements. The microstructure of the crystalline coatings was found t o be composed of small grains of beta-WC1-x with a high number of defe cts. A strong beta-WC1-x [311] texture was observed for iron and cobal t contents around 5.5 at.%. The films richer in iron and cobalt showed typical amorphous XRD and ED patterns, exhibiting two broad peaks and two wide diffuse rings respectively. Moreover, bright-field analysis revealed fairly contrasted images, the structure of these films being difficult to resolve.