Nanometer scale chemistry and microstructure of CrN/AlN multilayer films

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• 作者：Jianliang Lin^a ; ^{jlin@mines.edu} ; Hunter B. Henderson^b ; Michele V. Manuel^b ; William D. Sproul^a
• 刊名：Applied Surface Science
• 出版年：2013
• 出版时间：1 June, 2013
• 年：2013
• 卷：274
• 期：Complete
• 页码：392-396
• 全文大小：2575 K

文摘

Nanometerscale multilayer CrN/AlN thin films were deposited by pulsed DC magnetron sputtering. Nanoscale resolution chemistry and microstructure of CrN/AlN films with modulation periods (¦«) of 4 nm and 18 nm were studied using advanced microscopy and diffraction. At the nanometer level, the interface between the CrN and AlN nanolayers contains a concentration gradient of Al and Cr. Inter-diffusion of Cr and Al atoms into the AlN and CrN layers was identified. Microstructural characterization revealed the CrN nanolayers epitaxially stabilize the AlN layers (2 nm) to a cubic structure for the ¦« = 4 nm film. The rapid repetition of the interfacial energy across the AlN nanolayers is critical for the coherent epitaxial growth. The film at ¦« = 4 nm exhibited a superhardness of 42 GPa. In contrast, the AlN layers (12.5 nm) exhibited a hexagonal structure in the ¦« = 18 nm film as the bulk energy becomes dominating, in which misorientated and incoherent interfaces were found. The hardness of the film dropped down to 23 GPa.