Effect of annealing and process parameters on microstructure and properties of DC Magnetron Sputtered Ni-Zr alloy thin films. (30th January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sahu, Bibhu P.; Mitra, Rahul
• Is Part Of: MRS advances. Volume 2:Number 27(2017)
• Page Start: 1441
• Page End: 1448
• Publication Date: 2017-01-30
• Subjects: annealing, -- thin film, -- sputtering; Electrical engineering -- Congresses; Physics -- Congresses; Materials -- Research -- Congresses; Materials science -- Congresses; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1557/adv.2017.122
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2059-8521

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Ni-Zr alloy thin films were processed by DC magnetron sputtering of high purity Ni and Zr targets in ultrahigh vacuum at ambient temperature, with the substrate being subjected to either 0 V or -60 V bias. Some of the as-deposited films were annealed in vacuum at 700 ° C for 1 h. Surface profilometer and atomic force microscope were used to measure the film thickness and surface roughness, respectively. X-ray diffraction and cross-sectional TEM analysis have shown dispersion of nano-sized Ni3 Zr dispersed in nanocrystalline Ni matrix. Nano-indentation and scratch tests conducted at 2 mN load have shown variation of hardness, Young′s modulus, scratch resistance, and coefficient of friction with substrate bias and annealing due to changes in grain size and surface roughness.