Synthesis, structural and mechanical characterization of sputtered tungsten oxide coatings

Abstract

Tungsten oxide coatings were deposited without substrate bias by DC reactive magnetron sputtering of a tungsten target using oxygen as reactive gas. By tuning the partial pressure of oxygen ( p O 2 / p Ar) between 0 and 4, the oxygen content of the films was changed from 0 to 75 at.%. The structure of the films (investigated by X-ray diffraction) depends on their oxygen content. For low oxygen contents, the α-W and β-W 3O phases were observed (< 30 at.%), and with the increase of oxygen content (30 at.% < O < 67 at.%) the structure became amorphous. A transition region was obtained for oxygen content between 67 at.% and 75 at.%, and when O > 75 at.%, a nanocrystalline (WO 3) structure was reached. The hardness and Young's modulus were evaluated by depth sensing indentation. The decrease in hardness followed the four different ranges of chemical compositions accordingly, from ≈ 23 GPa for pure W down to ≈ 7 GPa for WO 3 films. A similar behaviour was observed for the Young's modulus, which ranged from 450 GPa to 150 GPa. The cohesion/adhesion of the films were investigated using a scratch-test apparatus. These coatings displayed a low adhesion (critical load, L c < 15 N) to the steel substrate because the depositions were carried out intentionally without an adhesion interfacial layer.