Influence of the Gas Flow Rate on the Crack Formation of AlCoCrNi High-Entropy Metallic Film Fabricated Using Magnetron Sputtering

Abstract

In the present study, the AlCoCrNi high-entropy metallic film was deposited on a Si wafer using a magnetron sputtering system. To capture the effects of the sputtering parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the film, the flow rate of Ar gas injected into the chamber (5, 7, and 8 sccm) was controlled. All films were identified as being of BCC phase with compositions of near equiatomic proportions, regardless of the gas flow rates. Nano-scale clusters were observed on the surfaces of all films, and nano-cracks were found in the film deposited at the Ar gas flow rate of 8 sccm, unlike the films deposited at the gas flow rates of 5 and 7 sccm. Detailed microstructural analysis of film deposition at an Ar gas flow rate of 8 sccm indicated that the void boundaries contribute to the formation of nano-cracks. The nano-indentation results indicated that the Ar gas flow rate 5 sccm specimen, with the smallest cluster size at the topmost surface, showed the highest hardness (12.21 ± 1.05 GPa) and Young’s modulus (188.1 ± 11 GPa) values.