Magnetron sputtering of Si-Al-N nanocomposite coatings on quartz for protection against impacts of high speed microparticles

Nanocomposite transparent coatings on the quartz substrates based on the Si-Al-N system were formed by pulsed magnetron sputtering. The protective properties of the coatings were discovered by means of an impact of the flows of iron particles. The microparticles accelerated up to 5-8 km/s using a two-stage light-gas gun. A significant decrease in the surface density of the craters was observed on the coated quartz substrate formed under the microparticles impacts. The effect was explained by a change in the structure, phase composition and the mechanical properties of the surface layer of the quartz when a nanocomposite coating was deposited on it.