Deposition and characterization of fine-grained W-Ni-C/N ternary films

W-Ni-C/N ternary films with 3<at.% Ni<14 and 0<at.% C, N<30 were synthesize d by reactive sputtering from a W-10 wt.% Ni target with increasing partial pressures of methane or nitrogen and substrate bias. The films have been c haracterized by electron probe microanalysis, X-ray diffraction, ultramicro hardness and scratch testing. The results show that the degree of structura l order of the films decreases with increasing nickel and metalloid element contents. The hardness values obtained vary between 25 and 55 GPa, with a maximum for films with low nitrogen and carbon contents (6-8 at.%), deposit ed with a substrate bias of -70 V. The Young modulus follows the same trend as hardness, with a maximum modulus value of 550 GPa. The crystalline coat ings present higher critical loads than the amorphous coatings. The more ad herent coatings have critical loads higher than 70 N. (C) 1999 Elsevier Sci ence S.A. All rights reserved.