The Effect of Al Target Current on the Structure and Properties of (Nb2Al)N Films with an Amorphous AlN Phase

Abstract

Nanocomposite films based on (Nb₂Al)N intermetallic nitride have been obtained by the method of magnetron sputtering. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed two stable states of the crystalline structure: (i) NbN with low amount (within 5 at %) of dissolved Al in a composition close to (Nb₂Al)N and (ii) an amorphous component related to aluminum nitride formed by reactive magnetron sputtering. The substructural characteristics (grain size and microdeformation level) are sensitive to the current via Al target and exhibit correlation with nanohardness and Knoop hardness of the film, which vary within 29–33.5 and 46–48 GPa, respectively.