Deposition of MAX phase-containing thin films from a (Ti,Zr)2AlC compound target

Clio Azina, Bensu Tunca, Andrejs Petruhins, Binbin Xin, Melike Mercan Yildizhan, Per O. A. Persson, Jozef Vleugels, Konstantza Lambrinou, Johanna Rosen, Per Eklund

    Research outputpeer-review

    Abstract

    This work reports on sputter depositions carried out from a compound (Ti,Zr)2AlC target on Al2O3(0 0 0 1) substrates at temperatures ranging between 500 and 900 ◦C. Short deposition times yielded 30–40 nm-thick Alcontaining (Ti,Zr)C films, whereas longer depositions yielded thicker films up to 90 nm which contained (Ti,Zr)C and intermetallics. At 900 ◦C, the longer depositions led to films that also consisted of solid solution MAX phases. Detailed transmission electron microscopy showed that both (Ti,Zr)2AlC and (Ti,Zr)3AlC2 solid solution MAX phases were formed. Moreover, this work discusses the growth mechanism of the thicker films, which started with the formation of the mixed (Ti,Zr)C carbide, followed by the nucleation and growth of aluminides, eventually leading to solid state diffusion of Al within the carbide, at the highest temperature (900 ◦C) to form the MAX phases.
    Original languageEnglish
    Article number149370
    Pages (from-to)1-8
    Number of pages8
    JournalApplied Surface Science
    Volume551
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 25 Feb 2021

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