Abstract
In the present study, novel AlCoCrNi high entropy nitride (HEN) films were deposited on Si substrate by a reactive direct current magnetron sputtering system. In order to investigate the influence of sputtering parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the film, nitrogen flow ratio (RN: 25–100%) and process pressure (1.33 × 10−1–1.33 Pa) were controlled, respectively. All the films were identified as an amorphous phase with composition of near equiatomic ratios, regardless of the conditions of nitrogen flow ratios and process pressures. However, the limited mechanical properties were found for the films deposited under different nitrogen flow ratios with retaining the process pressure of 1.33 Pa. To enhance the mechanical properties of the AlCoCrNi HEN film, process pressure was adjusted. From the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation, the structure of the film deposited at the process pressure of 1.33 Pa is identified as a porous and open structure with a number of density-deficient boundary and nano-scale voids. On the other hand, densified morphology of the film was observed at pressure of 1.33 × 10−1 Pa. As a result, the hardness, elastic modulus, and H/E were improved up to 16.8, 243 GPa, and 0.0692, respectively.
Highlights
In 2004, Cantor et al and Yeh et al proposed a new alloy design concept called high-entropy alloys (HEAs), which is composed of multiple major elements in equiatomic or near equiatomic ratios. [1,2]
AlCoCrNi high entropy nitride films were deposited on Si substrates by a reactive direct current magnetron sputtering system
In order to investigate the influence of sputtering parameters on the AlCoCrNi high entropy nitride films were deposited on Si substrates by a reactive direct current magnetron sputtering system
Summary
In 2004, Cantor et al and Yeh et al proposed a new alloy design concept called high-entropy alloys (HEAs), which is composed of multiple major elements in equiatomic or near equiatomic ratios. [1,2]. The basic idea of HEAs leads to high mixing entropy, sluggish diffusion, and severe lattice distortion, which tend to form the solid-solution phases rather than intermetallic compounds [3,4,5] For those reasons, novel HEAs exhibit special and outstanding properties, such as high hardness and strength, high corrosion and wear resistance, and characteristic electrical properties [6,7,8,9,10]. It is known to be effective in optimizing the microstructure and mechanical properties of HEA and high entropy nitride (HEN) films by controlling the process parameters, such as sputtering power, substrate temperature, reactive gas flow ratio, and process pressure [23,24,25]. To understand the effect of sputtering parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the AlCoCrNi HEN films, the nitrogen flow ratio and process pressure were systematically controlled
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