The use of triode sputtering scheme for preparation of refractory metal carbide coatings

O.V.Sobol, E.A.Sobol, A.A.Podtelezhnikov, S.T.Roshchenko


Kharkiv State Polytechnical University, 21 Frunze St., 61002 Kharkiv, Ukraine

Received November 15, 1999

The formation features of phase composition and substructure characteristics for refractory carbides produced from ion-plasma beams using triode sputtering have been considered taking tungsten carbide as an example, alpha-W2C, alpha-WC and alpha-WC+C being used as targets. The high-temperature beta-WC phase has been found to be present in most coatings. This causes formation of two-phase composites (beta-WC+alpha-WC, beta-WC+alpha-W2C) or single-phase beta-WC coatings at lowered substrate temperatures (Ts ). The formation of fcc beta-WC is due to a high non-equilibrium formation process of ion-plasma coatings.The use of triode sputtering allows to produce stable a-WC coatings under their relatively low density beam and Ts elevation up to 450 oC. In this case, relaxation processes occur on the surface due to high energies of particles involved into the carbide formation under their relatively low density.

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