Surface Metallization of Glass Fiber(GF)/Polyetheretherketone(PEEK) Composite with Cu Coatings Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering and Electroplating

Surface metallization of glass fiber(GF)/polyetheretherketone(PEEK)[GF/PEEK] is conducted by coating copper using electroplating and magnetron sputtering and the properties are determined by X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD).The coating bonding strength is assessed by pull-out tests and scribing in accordance with GB/T 9286-1998.The results show that the Cu coating with a thickness of 30 μm deposited on GF/PEEK by magnetron sputtering has lower roughness, finer grain size, higher crystallinity, as well as better macroscopic compressive stress,bonding strength, and electrical conductivity than the Cu coating deposited by electroplating.

Structural and magnetic properties of micropolycrystalline cobalt thin films fabricated by direct current magnetron sputtering

Pure cobalt(Co)thin films were fabricated by direct current magnetron sputtering,and the effects of sputtering power and pres-sure on the microstructure and electromagnetic properties of the films were investigated.As the sputtering power increases from 15 to 60 W,the Co thin films transition from an amorphous to a polycrystalline state,accompanied by an increase in the intercrystal pore width.Simultaneously,the resistivity decreases from 276 to 99μΩ·cm,coercivity increases from 162 to 293 Oe,and in-plane magnetic aniso-tropy disappears.As the sputtering pressure decreases from 1.6 to 0.2 Pa,grain size significantly increases,resistivity significantly de-creases,and the coercivity significantly increases(from 67 to 280 Oe),which can be attributed to the increase in defect width.Corres-pondingly,a quantitative model for the coercivity of Co thin films was formulated.The polycrystalline films sputtered under pressures of 0.2 and 0.4 Pa exhibit significant in-plane magnetic anisotropy,which is primarily attributable to increased microstress.

Preparation and Properties of Cu-Containing High-entropy Alloy Nitride Films by Magnetron Sputtering on Titanium Alloy

Magnetron sputtering deposition with regulated Cu target power was used for depositing Cu-containing high-entropy alloy nitride(Cu-(HEA)N)films on TC4 titanium alloy substrates.The microscopic morphologies,surface compositions,and thicknesses of the films were characterized using SEM+EDS;the anti-corrosion,wear resistance and antibacterial properties of the films in simulated seawater were investigated.The experimental results show that all four Cu-(HEA)N films are uniformly dense and contained nanoparticles.The film with Cu doping come into contact with oxygen in the air to form cuprous oxide.The corrosion resistance of the(HEA)N film without Cu doping on titanium alloy is better than the films with Cu doping.The Cu-(HEA)N film with Cu target power of 16 W shows the best wear resistance and antibacterial performance,which is attributed to the fact that Cu can reduce the coefficient of friction and exacerbate corrosion,and the formation of cuprous oxide has antibacterial properties.The findings of this study provide insights for engineering applications of TC4 in the marine field.

Effects of power on ion behaviors in radio-frequency magnetron sputtering of indium tin oxide(ITO)

This study delves into ion behavior at the substrate position within RF magnetron discharges utilizing an indium tin oxide(ITO)target.The positive ion energies exhibit an upward trajectory with increasing RF power,attributed to heightened plasma potential and initial emergent energy.Simultaneously,the positive ion flux escalates owing to amplified sputtering rates and electron density.Conversely,negative ions exhibit broad ion energy distribution functions(IEDFs)characterized by multiple peaks.These patterns are clarified by a combination of radiofrequency oscillation of cathode voltage and plasma potential,alongside ion transport time.This elucidation finds validation in a one-dimensional model encompassing the initial ion energy.At higher RF power,negative ions surpassing 100 e V escalate in both flux and energy,posing a potential risk of sputtering damages to ITO layers.

Analysis and prediction of sputtering yield using combined hierarchical clustering analysis and artificial neural network algorithms

Sputtering is a crucial technology in fields such as electric propulsion, materials processing and semiconductors. Modeling of sputtering is significant for improving thruster design and designing material processing control algorithms. In this study we use the hierarchical clustering analysis algorithm to perform cluster analysis on 17 descriptors related to sputtering. These descriptors are divided into four fundamental groups, with representative descriptors being the mass of the incident ion, the formation energy of the incident ion, the mass of the target and the formation energy of the target. We further discuss the possible physical processes and significance involved in the classification process, including cascade collisions, energy transfer and other processes. Finally, based on the analysis of the above descriptors, several neural network models are constructed for the regression of sputtering threshold E_(th), maximum sputtering energy E_(max) and maximum sputtering yield SY_(max). In the regression model based on 267 samples, the four descriptor attributes showed higher accuracy than the 17 descriptors(R^(2) evaluation) in the same neural network structure, with the 5×5 neural network structure achieving the highest accuracy, having an R^(2) of 0.92. Additionally, simple sputtering test data also demonstrated the generalization ability of the 5×5 neural network model, the error in maximum sputtering yield being less than 5%.

Study of bias voltage effect on the performance of ta-C coating prepared by high power impulse magnetron sputtering

The mechanical and frictional properties of ta-C coatings deposited on the substrate surface affect applications in the field of cutting tools and wear-resistant components.In this paper,the effect of bias parameters on the performance of ta-C coatings was investigated based on high power impulse magnetron sputtering(HiPIMS)technology.The results show that bias voltage has a significant effect on the deposition rate,structure,and wear resistance of the coating.In the range of bias voltage−50 V to−200 V,the ta-C coating performance was the best under bias voltage−150 V.The thickness reached 530.4 nm,the hardness value reached 35.996 GPa,and the bonding force in-creased to 14.2 N.The maximum sp3 bond content was 59.53% at this condition.

Facile integration of an Al-rich Al_(1-x)In_(x)N photodetector on free-standing GaN by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering

Al_(1-x)In_(x)N, a Ⅲ-nitride semiconductor material, is currently of great research interest due to its remarkable physical properties and chemical stability. When the Al and In compositions are tuned, its band-gap energy varies from 0.7 eV to 6.2 eV, which shows great potential for application in photodetectors. Here, we report the fabrication and performance evaluation of integrated Al_(1-x)In_(x)N on a free-standing GaN substrate through direct radio-frequency magnetron sputtering.The optical properties of Al_(1-x)In_(x)N will be enhanced by the polarization effect of a heterostructure composed of Al_(1-x)In_(x)N and other Ⅲ-nitride materials. An Al_(1-x)In_(x)N/Ga N visible-light photodetector was prepared by semiconductor fabrication technologies such as lithography and metal deposition. The highest photoresponsivity achieved was 1.52 A·W^(-1)under 365 nm wavelength illumination and the photodetector was determined to have the composition Al0.75In0.25N/GaN.A rise time of 0.55 s was observed after transient analysis of the device. The prepared Al_(1-x)In_(x)N visible-light photodetector had a low dark current, high photoresponsivity and fast response speed. By promoting a low-cost, simple fabrication method,this study expands the application of ternary alloy Al_(1-x)In_(x)N visible-light photodetectors in optical communication.

Influence and determinative factors of ion-to-atom arrival ratio in unbalanced magnetron sputtering systems

Low pressure sputtering with a controlled ratio of ion flux to deposited atom flux at the condensing surface is one of the main directions of development of magnetron sputtering methods. Unbalanced magnetron sputtering, by producing dense secondary plasma around the substrate, provides a high ion current density. The closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering system （CFUBMS） has been established as a versatile technique for high-rate deposition high-quality metal, alloy, and ceramic thin films. The＇key factor in the CFUBMS system is the ability to transport high ion currents to the substrate, which can enhance the formation of full dense coatings at relatively low value homologous temperature. The investigation shows that the energy of ions incidenced at the substrate and the ratio of the flux of these ions to the flux of condensing atoms are the fundamental parameters in determining the structure and properties of films produced by ion-assisted deposition processes. Increasing ion bombardment during deposition combined with increasing mobility of the condensing atoms favors the formation of a dense microstructure and a smooth surface.

Recent Developments in Magnetron Sputtering

The principle of magnetron sputtering is introduced andthe balanced and unbalanced magnetrons are compared andthe necessity of unbalanced magnetrons is explained as well. Several recent developments in plasma magnetron sputtering, i.e., unbalanced magnetron sputtering, pulsed magnetron sputtering and ion assisted sputtering, are discussed. The recent developments of unbalanced magnetron systems and their incorporation with ion sources result in an understanding in growingimportance of the magnetron sputtering technology, which makes the technology an applicable deposition process for a variety of important films, such as wear-resistant films and decorative films.

Synthesis of One-Dimensional ZnO Na norods by Oxidating Zinc Films Deposited with Magnetron Sputtering

One-dimensional ZnO nanorods are synthesized by ox idating thin metal zinc films deposited on Si(111) substrates with radio frequen cy magnetron sputtering.The crystal structure,surface morphology,and optical pro perties of nanorods are investigated.X-ray diffraction(XRD) pattern,scanning el ectron microscopy(SEM),and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) analyses show t hat the synthesized single-crystal ZnO nanorods develop like hairpins along dif ferent radials,with a hexagonal wurtzite structure.The diameters of nanorods ran ge between 30 and 60nm and lengths up to micrometers.Photoluminescence(PL) analy sis shows that,under 280nm light excitation,a strong and sharp near band-edge U V light emission band at 372nm and a relatively weak green deep-level light emi ssion band at 516nm are observed from the ZnO nanorods,which indicates excellent crystallization and optical quality of the fabricated ZnO nanorods.

Structural and optoelectronic properties of AZO thin films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature

Al-doped ZnO thin films were prepared on glass substrate using an ultra-high density target by RF magnetron sputtering at room temperature. The microstructure, surface morphology, optical and electrical properties of AZO thin films were investigated by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, UV-visible spectrophotometer, four-point probe method, and Hall-effect measurement system. The results showed that all the films obtained were polycrystalline with a hexagonal structure and average optical transmittance of AZO thin films was over 85 % at different sputtering powers. The sputtering power had a great effect on optoelectronic properties of the AZO thin films, especially on the resistivity. The lowest resistivity of 4.5×10^-4 Ω·cm combined with the transmittance of 87.1% was obtained at sputtering power of 200 W. The optical band gap varied between 3.48 and 3.68 eV.

Effects of sputtering pressure on nanostructure and nanomechanical properties of AlN films prepared by RF reactive sputtering

Wurtzite aluminum nitride（AlN） films were deposited on Si（100） wafers under various sputtering pressures by radio-frequency（RF） reactive magnetron sputtering. The film properties were investigated by XRD, SEM, AFM, XPS and nanoindenter techniques. It is suggested from the XRD patterns that highly c-axis oriented films grow preferentially at low pressures and the growth of（100） planes are preferred at higher pressures. The SEM and AFM images both reveal that the deposition rate and the surface roughness decrease while the average grain size increases with increasing the sputtering pressure. XPS results show that lowering the sputtering pressure is a useful way to minimize the incorporation of oxygen atoms into the AlN films and hence a film with closer stoichiometric composition is obtained. From the measurement of nanomechanical properties of AlN thin films, the largest hardness and elastic modulus are obtained at 0.30 Pa.

Properties of W/DLC/W-S-C composite films fabricated by magnetron sputtering

A kind of W/DLC/W-S-C composite film was fabricated by magnetron sputtering method.Effects of WSx content on the structure and the adhesion of the composite films were investigated.In addition,tribological behavior of the composite films was studied in the conditions of the ambient air and N2 gas atmosphere by ball-on-disk tester.The results indicate that the composite films show dense and amorphous microstructure.The WCx and WSx compounds are found in amorphous diamond like carbon matrix in the top layers of W-S-C.A proper WSx content is beneficial for improving the adhesion of the composite films.In air atmosphere,the composite films with high C content have better wear resistance and the friction coefficients range from 0.15 to 0.25.In N2 condition,high WSx content is benefit for the wear resistance and the friction coefficients of the composite films range from 0.03 to 0.1.

Microstructures of TiN,TiAlN and TiAlVN coatings on AISI M2 steel deposited by magnetron reactive sputtering

In order to study the effect of the microstructure with Al and V added TiN coatings, TiN, TiAlN and TiAlVN coatings were deposited on AISI M2 high-speed steels by magnetron reactive sputtering. The microstructures of all the coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicate that the addition of Al into TiN coatings reduces their lattice constant, but a further addition of V into TiAlN coatings increases their lattice constant. Moreover, the growth morphologies for TiN, TiAlN, and TiAlVN indicate that adding Al and V has a tendency to improve the columnar structure. The (111) and (200) orientations of TiN, TiAlN, and TiAlVN are identified. Theε(Fe3N-Fe2N) phase occurs because a small amount of Fe is present in the coatings. The interlayers of TiAlN and TiAlVN have the preferred (01 1 0) orientation. The texture (columnar) structure of the (111) and (200) orientations is observed in the TiAlN and TiAlVN coatings. An orientation relationship of (01 1 0)α-Ti//(110)T.M occurs between the interlayer and tempered martensite (T.M) in TiAlVN.

Effect of bias voltage on compositional, mechanical and corrosion property of ZrNbAlN multilayer films by unbalanced magnetron sputtering

Nano-scaled ZrNbAlN films with different negative bias voltages（Vb） were deposited on bronze substrate and Si（100） wafers by a reactive unbalanced magnetron sputtering technique. Composition and structure properties were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. It is found that mole concentrations of Zr and Nb are affected by Vb, which leads to the increase of binding energy of N 1s and Al 2p and decrease of binding energy of Zr 3d5/2 and Nb 3d5/2. Surface morphologies evolution controlled by Vb could be observed. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction patterns reveal that these films show a（111） preferred orientation. Moreover, mechanical property and corrosion behavior of ZrNbAlN films were characterized by nanoindentation test and corrosion test, respectively. A maximum value of 21.85 GPa at-70 V occurs in the ZrNbAlN- bronze system, which outperforms uncoated bronze. Corrosion experiments in 0.5 mol/L NaCl and 0.5 mol/L HCl solution show that corrosion potential and corrosion current are dependent on Vb, and better anti-corrosion property could be obtained at-90 V.

Influence of Substrate Temperature and Nitrogen Gas on Zinc Nitride Thin Films Prepared by RF Reactive Sputtering

Zinc nitride （Zn3N2） thin films were prepared by radio frequency （RF） magnetron sputtering on quartz glass at different substrate temperatures.The structure and composition were characterized by X-ray diffraction and Raman-scattering measurements,respectively.The polycrystalline phase Zn3N2 films appeared when the ratio of the N2 partial pressure to the total pressure reached 1/2.The effects of the substrate temperature on the electrical and optical properties of the Zn3N2 films were investigated by Hall measurements and optical transmission spectra.The electrical and optical properties of the films were highly dependent on the substrate temperature.With the substrate temperature increasing from 100 to 300℃,the resistivity of the Zn3N2 films decreased from 0.49 to 0.023Ω·cm,the carrier concentration increased from 2.7×10^16 to 8.2×10^19cm^-3,and the electron mobility decreased from 115 to 32cm^2/（V·s）.The deposited Zn3N2 films were considered to be n-type semiconductors with a direct optical band gap,which was around 1.23eV when the substrate temperature was 200℃.

Microstructure and Oxidation Resistance of V Thin Films Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering at Room Temperature

Vanadium films were deposited on Si(100)substrates at room temperature by direct current(DC)magnetron sputtering.The microstructure and surface morphology were studied using scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and atomic force microscope(AFM).The oxidation resistance of films in air was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The results showed that the amorphous vanadium film with a flatter surface had higher oxidation resistance than the crystalline film when exposed to atmosphere.The rapid formation of the thin oxide layer of amorphous vanadium film could protect the film from sustained oxidation,and the relative reasons were discussed.

Particle-in-Cell/Monte Carlo Collision simulation of planar DC magnetron sputtering

In this paper a numerical simulation of a planar DC magnetron discharge is performed with the Particle-in Cell/Monte Carlo Collision （PIC/MCC） method. The magnetic field used in the simulation is calculated with finite element method according to experimental configuration. The simulation is carried out under the condition of gas pressure of 0.665 Pa and voltage magnitude of 400V. Typical results such as the potential distribution, charged particle densities, the discharge current density and ion flux onto the target are calculated. The erosion profile from the simulation is compared with the experimental data. The maximum erosion position corresponds to the place where the magnetic field lines are parallel to the target surface.

Structure characteristic and its evolution of Cu-W films prepared by dual-target magnetron sputtering deposition

Immiscible Cu-W alloy thin films were prepared using dual-target magnetron sputtering deposition process. The structure evolution of Cu-W thin films during preparation was investigated by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. In the initial stage of dual-target magnetron sputtering deposition process, an amorphous phase formed; then it crystallized and the analogy spinodal structure formed due to the bombardment of the sputtered particles during sputtering deposition process, the surface structure of the film without the bombardment of the sputtered particles was the amorphous one, the distribution of the crystalline and amorphous phase showed layer structure. The solid solubility with the analogy spinodal structure was calculated using the Vegard law. For Cu-13.7%W （mole fraction） film, its structure was composed of Cu-ll%W solution, Cu-37%W solution and pure Cu; for Cu 14.3%W film, it was composed of Cu-15%W solution, Cu-38%W solution, and pure Cu; for Cu-18.1%W film, it was composed of Cu-19%W solution, Cu-36% W solution and pure Cu.

Microstructure and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Very Small Size GaAs Nanogranulae Embedded in SiO_2 Matrix by Magnetron Co-Sputtering

Microstructure of GaAs/SiO 2 nanogranular thin films fabricated by radio frequency magnetron co sputtering technique and postannealing are investigated via atomic force microscope,X ray diffraction,and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy.The results show that GaAs nanocrystals with average diameters from 1 5nm to 3 2nm (depending on the annealing temperature) are uniformly dispersed in the SiO 2 matrices.GaAs and SiO 2 are found in normal stoichiometry in the films.The nonlinear optical refraction and nonlinear optical absorption are studied by Z scan technique using a single Gaussian beam of pulse laser.The third order nonlinear optical refractive index and nonlinear absorption coefficient are enhanced due to the quantum confinement effects and estimated to be 4×10 -12 m 2/W and 2×10 -5 m/W respectively in nonresonant condition,while 2×10 -11 m 2/W and -1×10 -4 m/W respectively in quasi resonant condition.