High Sputtering Research Articles

Silicon MEMS Nanomechanical Membrane Flexure Sensor With Integrated High Gauge Factor ITO

Introduction of structural modification and novel transduction materials to nanomechanical cantilever (NMC) sensor can bring considerable improvement in sensor performance leading to ultra-sensitive nanomechanical sensor platforms. This work reports development of an optimized and highly sensitive silicon MEMS Nanomechanical Membrane-Flexure (NMF) piezoresistive surface stress sensor. This MEMS structure consists of a circular adsorbate membrane suspended by four inverse trapezoidal flexures. The electromechanical transduction of the sensor is performed by integrating a high gauge factor low temperature sputter deposited Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) thin film as piezoresistor. The ITO thin film was experimentally characterized for extracting its electrical, mechanical, and electromechanical properties to assess its candidature in integrating as strain sensing element with nanomechanical sensors. The gauge factor of ITO thin film was measured using a high precision four-point bending fixture experimental setup. An ultra-thin ITO film deposited at room temperature with no oxygen flow and post annealing treatments exhibited a high negative gauge factor of −430, making it an excellent candidate in nanomechanical sensor platform. The incorporation of sputter deposited ITO thin film as piezoresistive layer obviated the need for doping in silicon which further reduced the fabrication process complexity for NMF sensor. The NMF sensor fabrication following SOI based silicon MEMS process along with device characterization have also been carried out as part of this work. The optimized design of piezoresistive NMF sensor exhibited an improved surface stress sensitivity of nearly 15 times higher than conventional cantilever sensor and thereby opening new possibilities in bio-chemical and environmental sensing applications. [2021-0127]

Behavior of high current density pulsed magnetron discharge with a graphite target

Conventional magnetron discharge with a graphite target is a technology used worldwide to deposit thin films for a large range of applications. In the last decade, the high current density sputtering regime stands out as a very interesting alternative allowing the tailoring of coating properties. The peak power density normalized to the target area can exceed 107 W m−2, leading to an important ionization of the sputtered atoms. In this paper we focused on the electrical characterization of a magnetized plasma operated at average gas pressure (5 Pa; Ar and He) with a graphite target. A cross-correlation with a high-speed gated camera and optical emission spectroscopy measurements of the plasma evolution is also given. The analysis of the plasma–surface interaction zone on the target unveiled the physical mechanisms associated with the high current density range (1.8–32.5 A cm−2), corresponding to several regimes of discharge. For graphite, it will be demonstrated that the gas rarefaction induced by the vapor wind is negligible due to its low sputtering yield. Thus, the gas recycling is the dominant mechanism sustaining the discharge, even for the higher discharge current regime when a spot is present. Spokes and other instabilities were also identified and are discussed.

Behavior and process of background signal formation of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen in silicon wafers during depth profiling using dual‐beam TOF‐SIMS

The behavior and mechanism of background signals during depth profiling of atmospheric elements using dual‐beam time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF‐SIMS) have been experimentally investigated for silicon wafers. The background signals of atmospheric elements were found to be inversely proportional to the sputtering rate. Most of the background signals are largely attributable to the accumulation of components through adsorption and ion bombardment in the pre‐equilibrium state. On the other hand, the contribution of real‐time adsorption during the instant after the last sputtering in the equilibrium state is negligible under the present experimental conditions. H2O is dominant in the background formation process of hydrogen and oxygen, which is supported by the higher adsorption coefficients. The background levels of carbon and nitrogen are lower than those of hydrogen and oxygen. Furthermore, the background signal of carbon with respect to the sputtering rate shows a different trend than the other elements. This could be attributed to accumulation in the pre‐equilibrium state. These results indicate that the background levels can be lowered close to those of dynamic‐SIMS by using an extremely high sputtering rate in dual‐beam TOF‐SIMS.

Room temperature-deposited silver oxide (AgxO) films by dc magnetron sputtering with high sputtering power density: Impact of flow rate ratio of O2 to Ar gases on microstructure pattern, optical and electrical behaviors

Highly crystallized silver oxide (AgxO) films have been room-temperature deposited on glass substrates by direct-current (dc) magnetron sputtering with high sputtering power density. The impact of flow rate ratio of O2 to Ar gases (O2/Ar) is in particular studied on the microstructure pattern, optical and electrical behaviors of the AgxO films especially pure AgO films. An evolution in phase clearly occurs with increase of O2/Ar. The absorption edge in unit eV of the AgxO film composed of AgO and Ag2O, and the pure AgO films slightly varies near 2.7 eV with O2/Ar. The pure AgO films are best crystallized at 2:1 O2/Ar, and overdose of O worsens the crystallization of the AgO films, due to the lattice distortion mainly arising from Ag vacancies and interstitial O. The free carrier concentration and resistivity of fully oxidized AgxO film and AgO films are reduced and then increased with increase of O2/Ar. Cubic phases Ag2O and AgO are both p-type conductive, mainly due to the O vacancies, and Ag vacancies and interstitial O, respectively. The pure AgO films have high carrier mobility that is strongly affected by the point defects including vacancies and interstitial atoms.

Microstructure and properties of Ti2AlN thin film synthesized by vacuum annealing of high power pulsed magnetron sputtering deposited Ti/AlN multilayers

The (002) texture, compactness, and smoothness Ti 2 AlN thin films render them promising for many potential applications, especially in the surface modification of wear-resistant components. In this study, Ti 2 AlN thin films were fabricated by the vacuum annealing of Ti/AlN multilayers deposited by high power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS). The influence of the multilayer modulation ratio and modulation period of Ti/AlN on the microstructure and properties of the Ti 2 AlN thin film were explored. The results indicate that a Ti/AlN modulation ratio close to 6:4 and period less than 30 nm are appropriate for yielding high-quality crystallized Ti 2 AlN thin films. The microstructure of the Ti 2 AlN thin film is (002) textured, nanocrystalline, smooth, and compact, which benefits from the HPPMS technique. The Ti 2 AlN thin film adheres well to the substrate and has a hardness of 32.5 ± 2.1 GPa and has a friction coefficient of 0.15 while tested with a Si 3 N 4 friction pair. • The modulation ratio and period are critical for Ti 2 AlN thin film synthesis. • HPPMS improves the (002) texture and compactness of the Ti 2 AlN thin film. • HPPMS enhances the adhesion, hardness and wear resistance of the Ti 2 AlN thin film.

Durability of nanolayer Ti–Al–O–N hard coatings under simulated polycarbonate melt processing conditions

To protect forming tools and components from abrasion, adhesion and corrosion, the application of thin hard coatings by physical vapor deposition is state-of-the-art. The use of a hybrid coating technology, consisting of high power pulse magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) and direct current Magnetron Sputtering (dcMS), allows a combination of the advantageous properties of both. HPPMS coatings for examples show a dense morphology, high hardness and smooth surface. Using dcMS, higher deposition rates can be achieved, resulting in a higher economic efficiently. Within the scope of this work, a novel multilayer coating concept of the material system Ti–Al–O–N was developed. The coatings were deposited using an industrial coating unit. Cold work steel X42Cr13 was used as substrate material. The coatings consist of a metallic titanium bond coat and a nitride TiN/AlN nanolayer as an interlayer. The nanolayer coating architecture leads to a dense, compact and fine crystalline morphology with smooth surfaces. Finally, an oxynitride toplayer with two different oxygen contents was applied. In order to investigate the coating durability relevant for polycarbonate melt processing, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and linear sweep voltammetry were carried out in borate buffer, NaClO4 and benzoic acid electrolyte. An increased oxygen content in the oxynitride toplayer led to a decreased interfacial current density.

Achieving ultra‐low friction of a‐C:H film grown on 9Cr18Mo steel for industrial application via programmable high power pulse magnetron sputtering

Owing to the high hardness and hydrogen passivation of carbon bonds, hydrogenated diamond‐like carbon (a‐C:H) film has shown promising potential to achieve ultra‐low friction and wear on steel surfaces. Here, a‐C:H film was successfully deposited on 9Cr18Mo steel via programmable high power pulse magnetron sputtering and potential application for industrial was evaluated. The a‐C:H films against different mating materials of GCr15 steel balls, Al2O3, Si3N4, ZrO2, and a‐C:H‐coated GCr15 balls all showed ultra‐low friction under a normal load of 5 N in a dry ambient air environment. Among them, self‐mating tribo‐system a‐C:H films on steel surfaces and a‐C:H‐coated steel balls achieve best friction performance; the principal reason is that both contacting surfaces coated with a‐C:H film have the lower electron affinities compared with other tribo‐systems. However, the differences of coefficient of friction (COF) for uncoated‐GCr15, Al2O3, ZrO2, Si3N4, and a‐C:H(GCr15) balls can be attributed to different sizes of clustering in wear debris. This work provides new insights on synthesis and industry application of the a‐C:H films with ultra‐low friction properties.

Corrosion behavior and interfacial conductivity of amorphous hydrogenated carbon and titanium carbide composite (a-C: H/TiC) films prepared on titanium bipolar plates in PEMFCs

In this work, amorphous hydrogenated carbon and titanium carbide composite (a-C: H/TiC) films are deposited on titanium bipolar plates which are used in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). It was fabricated by high power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) with TiN and TiCN transition layers. The microstructure results indicated that the titanium element was introduced in the films with a form of titanium carbide, and the increasing ID/IG values imply the graphitization of films. Amorphous carbon with a large content of sp2 hybrid bonds leads to an excellent conductivity of 1.6 mΩ·cm2 at 1.4 MPa and improves the corrosion resistance by inhibiting the growth of columnar crystal. In addition, a number of sp2-riched clusters on the surface enhance the hydrophobicity of the film. The a-C: H/TiC films prepared in this work significantly improved the hydrophobicity, corrosion resistance and interfacial conductivity of titanium bipolar plates, showing a great potential for applications in PEMFCs.

In Situ X-ray Measurements to Follow the Crystallization of BaTiO3 Thin Films during RF-Magnetron Sputter Deposition

Here, we report on adding an important dimension to the fundamental understanding of the evolution of the thin film micro structure evolution. Thin films have gained broad attention in their applications for electro-optical devices, solar-cell technology, as well storage devices. Deep insights into fundamental functionalities can be realized via studying crystallization microstructure and formation processes of polycrystalline or epitaxial thin films. Besides the fundamental aspects, it is industrially important to minimize cost which intrinsically requires lower energy consumption at increasing performance which requires new approaches to thin film growth in general. Here, we present a state of the art sputtering technique that allows for time-resolved in situ studies of such thin film growth with a special focus on the crystallization via small angle scattering and X-ray diffraction. Focusing on the crystallization of the example material of BaTiO3, we demonstrate how a prototypical thin film forms and how detailed all phases of the structural evolution can be identified. The technique is shaped to enable a versatile approach for understanding and ultimately controlling a broad variety of growth processes, and more over it demonstrate how to in situ investigate the influence of single high temperature sputtering parameters on the film quality. It is shown that the whole evolution from nucleation, diffusion adsorption and grain growth to the crystallization can be observed during all stages of thin film growth as well as quantitatively as qualitatively. This can be used to optimize thin-film quality, efficiency and performance.

The Corrosion Resistance of Al Film on AZ31 Magnesium Alloys by Magnetron Sputtering

Nano Al films were prepared on AZ31 magnesium alloy samples by DC magnetron sputtering. The effects of sputtering power on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of the Al film were investigated. The results show that the surface of aluminum film is dense and polycrystalline state, and it is oriented along the Al (111) crystal plane. The grain size of Al film first increases and then decreases with the increase of sputtering power. When the sputtering power exceeds 100 W, there is no insignificant effect on the orientation of the Al crystals and the corrosion current density of the samples with Al film are reduced by two orders of magnitude. The corrosion resistance of the magnesium alloy samples with the Al film magnetron sputtered varies with the sputtering power. Compared with low sputtering power, the Al film sputtered by high power has the most excellent corrosion resistance, but too high sputtering power will lead to micro cracks on the Al film, which will adversely affect the corrosion resistance.

Improving the electrical conductivity of copper/graphene composites by reducing the interfacial impurities using spark plasma sintering diffusion bonding

The copper/graphene (Cu/Gr) composites made of Gr/Cu/Gr foils with a thickness of 25 μm were prepared using spark plasma sintering diffusion bonding (SPS) and hot press diffusion bonding (HP) in an Ar atmosphere at 900 °C for 20 min under a pressure of 50 MPa. The electrical conductivity of the prepared Cu/Gr composites was measured by the van der Pauw method, the microstructure was characterized using Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope, and the corresponding mechanism was analyzed by employing the first-principles calculations. The result indicates that, SPS process reduces the interfacial impurities of Cu/Gr composites, rendering a much higher electrical conductivity (108.6% IACS) than that prepared by using HP (98.8% IACS). This finding is correlated to the reduced oxygen (O) impurities on Gr/Gr interface, which is attributed to the high temperature plasma sputtering effect of SPS. In the prepared Cu/Gr composites, the impurity-free Gr/Gr interface has an ideal spacing of ∼3.3 Å wherein carbon (C) across the interface do not bond. Despite the generated C–C covalent bonding within the same Gr layer bounds some of the electrons, the remaining electrons of the p orbital on each C atom are free electrons, leading to the excellent electrical conductivity. In contrast, absorption of O impurities on the Gr/Gr interface increases the spacing between the Gr layers to ∼3.8 Å, and generates covalent C–O–C bonding across the interface due to p orbital hybridization. This reduces the free electron concentration and the corresponding electrical conductivity.

Indium tin oxide obtained by high pressure sputtering for emerging selective contacts in photovoltaic cells

This article studies the physical and electrical behavior of indium tin oxide layers (ITO) grown by an unconventional technique: High Pressure Sputtering (HPS), from a ceramic ITO target in a pure Ar atmosphere. This technique has the potential to reduce plasma induced damage to the samples. The aim is to obtain, at low temperature via HPS, good quality transparent conductive oxide layers for experimental photovoltaic cells with emerging selective contacts such as transition metal oxides, alkaline metal fluorides, etc. We found that the resistivity of the films was strongly dependent on Ar pressure. To obtain device-quality resistivity without intentional heating during deposition a pressure higher than 1.0 mbar was needed. These films deposited on glass were amorphous, presented a high electron mobility (up to 45 cm2V−1s−1) and a high carrier density (2.9 × 1020 cm−3 for the sample with the highest mobility). The optimum Ar pressure range was found at 1.5–2.3 mbar. However, the resistivity degraded with a moderate annealing temperature in air. Finally, the feasibility of the integration with photovoltaic cells was assessed by depositing on Si substrates passivated by a-Si:H. The film deposited at 1.5 mbar was uniform and amorphous, and the carrier lifetime obtained was 1.22 ms with an implied open circuit voltage of 719 mV after a 215 °C air anneal. The antireflective properties of HPS ITO were also demonstrated. These results show that ITO deposited by HPS is adequate for the research of solar cells with emerging selective contacts.

Study of the normal spectral emissivity of tungsten between 170 and 500 °C by a single-wavelength infrared thermometer

Tungsten is considered as the potential plasma facing material in future fusion reactors due to its high melting point, low sputtering, and low fuel retention, and is already used as the baseline material for divertors in some Tokamak devices. The emissivity of tungsten is low and varies with the target temperature, surface state, and wavelength, etc. Therefore, it is indispensable to obtain the emissivity characteristics of tungsten for accurate temperature measurement in the Tokamak devices. In this work, the emissivity measurement system using a single-wavelength infrared thermometer with the same operating conditions as Tokamak devices is constructed and the normal spectral emissivity of tungsten between 170 and 500 °C is measured. The measurement results indicate that the normal spectral emissivity of tungsten ranges from 0.0880 to 0.1291 between 170 and 500 °C with the wavelength of 10.2 μm, and the emissivity increases with the increase of temperature. Meanwhile, the uncertainty of emissivity measurement results is estimated, which ranges from 0.0064 to 0.0125. Besides tungsten, the proposed emissivity method can also be applied to measure the emissivity of other first wall materials such as molybdenum, etc. This work provides a useful reference for accurate temperature measurement of the first wall in nuclear fusion devices.

Influence of residual stresses in hard tool coatings on the cutting performance

During the hard machining of powder metallurgical high-speed steel, finely dispersed carbides in the steel expose the tools to both thermal and mechanical load. This can influence the cutting performance and cause damage to the tools such as premature abrasive and adhesive wear. Thin hard coatings like TiAlN deposited by physical vapor deposition are widely used in order to improve the tool performance. High power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) results in technical benefits, such as a more homogeneous coating thickness distribution on the tools compared to direct current magnetron sputtering (dcMS). The advantages of HPPMS can be combined with the high deposition rates of dcMS leading to a higher economic efficiency conducting a dcMS/HPPMS hybrid process. Adding silicon to the coating system TiAlCrN results in TiAlCrSiN leading to a nanocomposite coating architecture with improved mechanical properties. The influence of the residual stresses on the mechanical properties and on the roughing performance of nanocomposite coatings is of high interest and was therefore investigated in the present study. Four different TiAlCrSiN hybrid coatings deposited with four different substrate bias potentials were examined for this purpose. The residual stresses and the mechanical properties including the resistance against crack formation as well as the compound properties of the coatings on cemented carbide were investigated. Finally, the roughing performance of the coated cemented carbide tools were tested by milling the powder metallurgical high-speed steel HS6-5-3C. For the coatings investigated, it can be concluded that a compressive residual stress state of approx. -2 GPa ≤ σ ≤ −3 GPa leads to the highest resistance against crack formation, and thus to the best cutting performance.

Significant performance enhancement of all‐inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite solar cells enabled by Nb‐doped SnO2 as effective electron transport layer

All‐inorganic CsPbBr3‐based perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have attracted great attention because of their high chemical and thermal stabilities in ambient air. However, the short‐circuit current density (Jsc) of CsPbBr3‐based PSCs is inadequate under solar illumination because of the wide bandgap, inefficient charge extraction and recombination loss, leading to lower power‐conversion efficiencies (PCEs). It is envisaged that in addition to narrowing the bandgap by alloying, Jsc of the PSCs could be enhanced by effective improvement of electron transportation, suppression of charge recombination at the interface between the perovskite and electron transporting layer (ETL), and tuning of the space charge field in the device. In this work, Nb‐doped SnO2 films as ETLs in the CsPbBr3‐based PSCs have been deposited at room temperature by high target utilization sputtering (HiTUS). Through optimizing the Nb doping level alone, the Jsc was increased by nearly 19%, from 7.51 to 8.92 mA·cm−2 and the PCE was enhanced by 27% from 6.73% to 8.54%. The overall benefit by replacing the spin‐coated SnO2 with sputtered SnO2 with Nb doping was up to 39% increase in Jsc and 62% increase in PCE. Moreover, the PCE of the optimized device showed negligible degradation over exposure to ambient environment (T ˜ 25 °C, RH˜45%), with 95.4% of the original PCE being maintained after storing the device for 1200 h.

Thermal stability of CrAlN/AlCrN nanolaminate coating deposited by hybrid dcMS/HPPMS after heat treatment with continuous-wave laser

Nanolaminate coatings consisting of hundreds of alternating CrN and AlN nanolayers can be used as protective coatings on various manufacturing technology tools. In this work, a coating is investigated, which is deposited using a hybrid direct current and high power pulse magnetron sputtering technology. The coating exhibits a nanolaminate architecture and its nanolayers consist of cubic CrAlN and AlCrN ternary solid solution phases. In order to study the thermal stability especially in the near-surface area of the coating, it is heat treated by using a continuous-wave laser at two different laser power densities. Laser induced heat-affected zone as well as punctual Al-rich precipitates, which are formed at the interface between the Al–rich AlCrN nanolayers and the column boundaries, are investigated using transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the indentation hardness and indentation modulus of the coating are affected only to a small extent by the continuous-wave laser heat treatment.

Titanium doped MoSe2 coatings – Synthesis, structure, mechanical and tribological properties investigation

In this work, we doped sputtered MoSe2 coatings with Ti to improve their mechanical and tribological properties. Mo-Se-Ti coatings were prepared onto steel discs by High Target Utilisation Sputtering (HiTUS). The Ti was in the range 7–31 at.%, which led to Se/Mo ratios of 1.7–2.7. The Mo-Se-Ti coatings possessed a polycrystalline structure for the lower Ti contents and became amorphous when Ti content was above approx. 18 at.%. The hardness of the initially soft (0.3 GPa) pure MoSe2 coatings was dramatically improved with Ti additions (up to 7.5 GPa). Sliding experiments confirmed excellent tribological properties: coefficient of friction values from 0.02 to 0.08 and very low wear rates (8×10-8mm3N-1m−1) of the Ti-containing coatings tested in the humid air at the loads in the range of 2–45 N. The outstanding self-lubricant properties of Mo-Se-Ti coatings were attributed to the transformation of the topmost amorphous part of the coating into crystalline MoSe2 tribofilm while preserving inner parts of the coating in as-deposited state ensuring good load-bearing capacity. There is strong experimental evidence that Ti has a gettering effect in the tribological contact, which protects MoSe2 tribofilm against oxidation.

Influences of different sputtering current on the microstructure and electrical properties of silicon nitride thin films deposited on cemented carbide tools

Silicon nitride (SiNx) thin films, owing to their high hardness and great insulation performance, show a great prospect for application in smart temperature-measurement tools. However, their properties depend on the deposition conditions, and the high temperatures during cutting process affects the insulation function of these films. In the current work, SiNx thin films were prepared on YG8 cemented carbide by middle-frequency magnetron sputtering technology. Stylus profiler, atomic force microscope (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and electrochemical analysis tester were applied to investigate the influence of various sputtering currents on microstructure, chemical composition, and electrical properties of SiNx thin films. The results revealed the amorphous structure of SiNx thin films. The sputtering current showed the impetus effect on the deposition rate and roughness of the films. As the sputtering current increased, the isolated islands, initially formed on the carbide substrates, transformed into the uniform and dense film structure. High sputtering current was conducive to the dissociation of N2 and to the formation of the SiNx phase in the films. Finally, annealing at 500 °C caused the failure of Si-N bonds in the film, which deteriorated the insulation performance of the latter at high temperatures at high temperatures.

The Effect of Match between High Power Impulse and Bias Voltage: TiN Coating Deposited by High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering

Practical experience in the use of high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) technology has revealed that output bias current depends on the total energy output of the cathodes, which means that bias voltage settings do not necessarily match the actual output. In this study, we investigated the effects of bias current and voltage on the characteristics of titanium nitride thin films produced using high impulse magnetron sputtering. The bias current and voltage values were adjusted by varying the supplied cathode power and substrate bias under DC and pulsed-DC output models. Our results revealed that pulse delay (PD) and feed forward (FF) settings can be used to control bias current and voltage. Increasing the bias current from 0.56 to 0.84 was shown to alter the preferred orientation from (111) to (220), increase the deposition rate, and lead to a corresponding increase in film thickness. The surface morphology of all titanium nitride samples exhibited tapered planes attributable to the low bias current and voltage (−30 V). The maximum hardness values were as follows: DC mode (23 GPa) and pulsed-DC mode (19 GPa). The lower hardness values of pulsed-DC samples can be attributed to residual stress, preferred orientation, and surface morphology. The surface of the samples was shown to be hydrophobic, with contact angles of >100°.

Self-lubricating triboactive (Cr,Al)N+Mo:S coatings for fluid-free applications

Within this study, self-lubricating and triboactive (Cr,Al)N+Mo:S coatings were developed and investigated for the deposition on components in a low-temperature physical vapor deposition (PVD) hybrid process. Therefore, direct current magnetron sputtering (dcMS) and high power pulse magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) PVD were combined by using an industrial coating machine. Hereby, it was possible to deposit dense and smooth triboactive, self-lubricating nitride coatings with different chemical compositions and architectures on 16MnCr5E samples. Two coating architectures, a matrix monolayer and a graded coating structure, were developed to evaluate the effect on the tribological behavior. The morphology and coating thickness were analyzed by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, the indentation hardness and modulus of indentation as well as the compound adhesion between substrate materials and coating were analyzed. Tribological analyses of (Cr,Al)N+Mo:S-coated and uncoated samples were conducted under fluid-free friction regime at room temperature T = (20 ± 3) °C, a velocity v = 0.1 m/s and a distance s = 1000 m by varying the Hertzian contact pressure from 400 MPa ≤ pH ≤ 1300 MPa against steel counterparts, 100Cr6, in a pin-on-disk (PoD) tribometer. The graded coating architecture of (Cr,Al)N+Mo:S enabled a significant wear and friction reduction. Furthermore, Raman analyses prove the formation of solid lubrication tribofilm containing MoS2, MoO3 MoO2 and MoxOy at the toplayer of a graded (Cr,Al)N+Mo:S coating, which are responsible for the improved tribological behavior.