Influence of magnetron sputtering process parameters on wear properties of steel/Cr 3Si or Cr/MoS x

Abstract

The film system steel/Cr 3Si or Cr/MoS x was produced by r.f. and d.c. magnetron sputtering with variation of the following process parameters: working pressure P Ar; sputter power P; and target-substrate distance TSA, in both intermittent and stationary modes. The layer system had a thicknesses < 1 μm; the interlayers were thinner than 100 nm. The chemical characterisation was performed using EDX (energy dispersive X-ray analysis); a structural characterisation was accomplished by X-ray diffraction. The chemical composition was changed by decreasing the TSA, increasing p Ar or P, and by changing the mode (intermittent or stationary). An increase in p Ar to values greater than 1.3 Pa at a TSA of 40 or 80 mm was found to lead to an increased oxygen content. The layers were microcrystalline and showed no texture for any parameter set. X-Ray diffraction patterns show mainly the (002) reflection with different degrees of ordering. The wear properties were investigated with the pin-on-disk test. The MoS x layers with (002) reflections without additional (100) or (110) reflections showed only small abrasion. The formation of this modified MoS x layer is the connecting link between process parameters and wear properties.