Microstructure and phase composition of ZrN/SiNx multilayered coatings formed by reactive magnetron deposition

Abstract

In the present work, the microstructure and phase composition of multilayered nanoscaled ZrN/SiNx coatings with different thicknesses of individual ZrN and SiNx layers were investigated. The results of transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) showed that multilayer ZrN/SiNx coatings formed by reactive magnetron deposition are alternating layers of ZrN and SiNx. The X-ray reflectometry (XRR) method made it possible to determine the density, thickness, and surface roughness of individual ZrN and SiNx layers. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that ZrN and SiNx layers have a crystalline and amorphous structure, respectively. The phase composition of mononitride ZrN coatings is characterized by the presence ZrN phase with preferential orientation (111). Phase composition results indicate a change in the preferential orientation from (111) observed for the mononitride ZrN films, to (200) forming in the multilayered ZrN/SiNx coatings.