title: A study on the influence of copper content in CrN/Cu nanocomposite thin films prepared by pulsed DC magnetron sputtering.
abstract: Synthesis of nanocomposite thin films of CrN/Cu deposited on (100) Si and D-9 alloy substrates by pulsed magnetron sputtering as a function of copper content in the range 15.1-35.8 at.% is investigated. XRD analysis of the films deposited at 773 K with nitrogen flow rate of 10 sccm indicated that the films are nanorystalline and bi-phasic (fcc-CrN and fcc-Cu). Scanning electron microscopy showed a structureless morphology for CrN, while agglomerates were obtained for CrN/Cu nanocomposite thin films. Atomic force microscopy also confirmed the agglomeration of particles with increasing Cu content. The amount of copper content in the nanocomposite films had also shown a significant reduction in the crystallite size of CrN. The nano hardness measurements showed a peak hardness of 17 GPa for the films with copper content of 15.1 at.%. The hardness values were found to decrease significantly with Cu content > 31.1 at.%.
authors.affiliation: Physical Metallurgy Division, Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam 603102, India.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Elangovan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kuppusami
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thirumurugesan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sudha
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mohandas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mangalaraj