Deposition of CrN coatings by PVD methods for mechanical application

CrN is an excellent wear and corrosion resistant material. There is much interest in the research community to develop CrN thin films for coating tools for metal and wood machining operations. The present study aims to develop CrN coatings for wear applications. The films were deposited by triode sputtering, magnetron sputtering and ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) methods. Structural, chemical and mechanical characterization of the films was performed. For a better understanding, films deposited by sputtering and IBAD methods are compared. Structure and properties (especially residual stress) of the films, and aspects of film growth processes and their effects on film properties are discussed.