Structural and mechanical properties of room temperature sputter deposited CrN coatings

Chromium nitride (CrN) thin films were deposited at room temperature on silicon and glass substrates using DC reactive magnetron sputtering in Ar + N2 plasma. Structure and mechanical properties of these films were examined by using XRD, FESEM and nanoindentation techniques. XRD studies revealed that films are of mixed phase at lower nitrogen partial pressure (PN2PN2) and single phase at higher (PN2PN2). Microscopy results show that the films were composed of non-equiaxed columns with nanocrystallite morphology. The hardness and elastic modulus of the films increase with increasing nitrogen partial pressure (PN2PN2). A maximum hardness of ∼29 GPa and elastic modulus of 341 GPa were obtained, which make these films useful for several potential applications.

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► Room temperature deposition of crystalline single phase CrN.
► Hardness of ∼29 GPa and modulus of 341 GPa.
► Non equiaxed columnar growth in the films.
► Nano grain growth of less than 50 nm.