Growth of nitrogen stabilised cubic ZrO₂ phase by reactive magnetron sputtering using two reactive gases

S. Collard, H. Kupfer, W. Hoyer, G. Hecht
Technische Universität Chemnitz, Institut für Physik
D - 09107 Chemnitz
Germany

In this work the use of magnetron sputtering with two reactive gases is presented. Oxygen and nitrogen gases are simultaneously employed in order to grow oxynitride coatings. It has been shown that the deposition method is suitable in order to deposit a new phase. This new phase is characterised by electon probe microanalysis and X-ray diffraction. The combination of Bragg-Brentano scans and pole figure measurements allows to determine the structure of the phase. The phase transitions depend on the rate of the oxygen and nitrogen flows. ZrN-based films are deposited for slow rate oxygen flows. The use of intermediate rates of oxygen flows lead to the formation of a new phase. This phase has a similar structure as the stabilised cubic ZrO₂ one. The films deposited with a higher rate of oxygen flow form the monoclinic ZrO₂ phase.