| Thin films of CrxOy were deposited on glass and stainless steel substrates at low temperature (< 500 °C). The films were prepared using a midfrequency (40 kHz) AC sputtering technique in an Isoflux ICM-10 sputter deposition system consisting of two hollow cylindrical targets of Cr in an argon-oxygen plasma. The effects of RF magnetron power, substrate biasing and the plasma's oxygen to argon ratio on the films' crystal orientation and hardness were investigated. The stoichiometric O/Cr ratio was determined from energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses. These studies gave a ratio of 1.5 when the argon to oxygen ratio was 1. When the steel substrates were biased at (-25 V) DC, the hardness nanoindentation test of the deposited films gave values up to 30 GPa. These values indicate growth of decidedly crystalline α-Cr2O3 films on these substrates. |
full paper (pdf, 688 Kb)