The determination of nitrogen in Cr-N system by RBS and the weight gain technique

Precise quantitative compositional analysis of hard coatings based on trans ition metal nitrides and other compounds by means of standard analytical te chniques (AES, XPS, EDX, RES) is possible only using a standard reference m aterial (SRM). However! such standards are still in the course of developme nt. In this paper we show that RES analysis and the weight gain (WG) techni que can be used for the evaluation of atomic concentrations of coating cons tituents without using an SRM. RES methods based on the use of two detector s and a sample prepared in the form of a multilayer structure were proposed and tested. Additionally, weight gain measurements were used as a second m ethod to determine nitrogen content in single Cr-N layers. The N/Cr atomic ratio of the as-deposited sample was evaluated from the weight change induc ed after complete oxidation of the as-deposited films, assuming reactions i n which Cr2O3 oxide is formed. The results of the two analytical techniques were in very good agreement. The AES depth profile of the same multilayer structure was also measured. All samples were prepared by reactive sputter deposition in a Sputron apparatus at 200 degrees C. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scien ce S.A. All rights reserved.