Effects of Y addition on the microstructures and mechanical behavior of ZrOxNy/V2O3-Y nano-multilayered films

Abstract

ZrOxNy/V2O3-Y nano-multilayered films with various yttrium additions were deposited on a Si substrate by reactive magnetron sputtering technique. The influences of yttrium addition on the microstructures, strengthening, and toughening characteristics of the nano-multilayered films were examined by the X-Ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, electro-probe microanalyzer, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, and nanoindentation instrument. The experimental results showed that the template and modulation layers of the ZrOxNy/V2O3-Y nano-multilayered films consisted of ZrO2, ZrON, ZrN, and V2O3, Y2O3, respectively. Under the role of the template layer, the modulation layer maintained the epitaxial growth, which formed a coherent interface structure between the two sublayers as a function of the yttrium addition. When the Y/VO2 ratio was 1/2, the hardness, elastic modulus, and fracture toughness value could reach 15.1 GPa, 182.2 GPa, and 1.23 MPa m1/2, respectively. The incorporation of yttrium atoms gave rise to the phase transition, and the coherent interface inhibited the dislocation movement during nanoindentation loading, thus contributing to the optimal mechanical behavior of the ZrOxNy/V2O3-Y nano-multilayered films.