Low Resistivity Hafnium Nitride Thin Films Deposited by Inductively Coupled Plasma Assisted Magnetron Sputtering in Microelectronics.

Hafnium nitride (HfN) thin films with low electrical resistivity were obtained by inductively coupled plasma assisted magnetron sputtering as a function of ICP power. Microstructural, crystallographic and sheet resistance characterizations of HfN films were performed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and 4 point probe method. The results show that ICP has significant effects on coating's microstructure, structural and electrical properties of HfN films.

Mechanical and Structural Behavior of HfN Thin Films Deposited by Direct Current and Mid-Frequency Magnetron Sputtering.

Nanocrystalline HfN thin films were deposited onto silicon substrates with direct current magnetron sputtering (dcMS) and mid-frequency magnetron sputtering (mfMS) by using hafnium metallic target with 3-inch diameter and 99.9% purity in argon/nitrogen atmosphere, under 4 different pulse frequencies and duty cycles. In order to evaluate the structural, morphological and mechanical properties, we used X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), nanoindentation tests.

Effect of Inductively Coupled Plasma on the Properties of Nanocrystalline Vanadium Nitride Films for Corrosion Resistant Surface.

Single-phase cubic (FCC) vanadium nitride (VN) coatings with different preferential orientations and residual stresses were obtained as a function of ICP power. Microstructural, crystallographic and mechanical characterizations were performed by FE-SEM, AFM, XRD and nanoindentation. The results show that ICP has significant effects on coating's microstructure, structural and mechanical properties of VN coatings.

Asymmetric Bipolar Pulsed dc Sputtered Niobium Nitride Films for Electrode Materials in Supercapacitors.

Niobium nitride (NbN) films were deposited using asymmetric-bipolar pulsed dc sputtering at different pulse parameters. Microstructural, electrical and mechanical characterizations were performed by FE-SEM, AFM, LCR meter and nanoindentator. The results show that pulse frequency has significant effects on coating's microstructure, structural and electrical properties of NbN films.

Asymmetric Bipolar Pulsed dc Sputtered Nanocrystalline VN Coatings for Electrode Materials in Lithium Battery.

Nanocrystalline vanadium nitride (VN) coatings for electrode materials for lithium battery with various deposition parameters have been prepared using dc and asymmetric bipolar pulsed dc magnetron sputtering. The deposition parameters such as pulse frequency and the duty cycle were varied from 0 to 50 kHz and 100 to 75%, respectively. Microstructural, crystallographic and electrical characterizations were performed by FE-SEM, AFM, XRD and 4-point probe method.

The Structure and Properties of Pulsed dc Sputtered Nanocrystalline NbN Coatings for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell.

Niobium nitride coatings for the surface modified proton exchange membrane fuel cells with various pulse parameters have been prepared using dc (direct current) and asymmetric-bipolar pulsed dc magnetron sputtering. The pulse frequency and the duty cycle were varied from 5 to 50 kHz and 50 to 95%, respectively. The deposition rate, grain size and resistivity of pulsed dc sputtered films were decreased when the pulse frequency increased, while the nano hardness of niobium nitride films increased.

The Structure and Properties of Inductively Coupled Plasma Assisted Magnetron Sputtered Nanocrystalline NbN Coatings in Corrosion Protective Die Casting Molds.

Niobium nitride coatings for the surface modified die casting molds with various ICP powers have been prepared using ICP assisted magnetron sputtering. The applied ICP power was varied from 0 to 200 W. The deposited coatings were characterized post-deposition using X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).

The Structure and Properties of Inductively Coupled Plasma Assisted Magnetron Sputtered Nanocrystalline CrN Coatings in Corrosion Protective Die Casting Molds.

Chromium nitride coatings for the surface modified die casting molds with various ICP powers have been prepared using ICP assisted magnetron sputtering. The applied ICP power was varied from 0 to 300 W. The deposited coatings were characterized post-deposition using X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM).

The Structure and Properties of Inductively Coupled Plasma Assisted Magnetron Sputtered Nanocrystalline CrN Films for Bearings of Wind Power Systems.

Chromium nitride films used as important surface modified bearings for the wind power systems have been prepared using DC (direct current) and ICP assisted magnetron sputtering. The applied ICP power was varied from 0 to 500 W. The deposition rate and nano-grain size of ICP assisted films were decreased when the ICP power increased, while the corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of chromium nitride films increased.

Nanosize-controlled titanium nitride films in pulsed dc magnetron sputtering.

Titanium nitride films with different nano-grain size deposited by direct current (dc) and pulsed dc magnetron sputtering have been investigated for various target frequencies ranging from 0 to 50 kHz. The crystal grain size, surface and cross-sectional microstructure and the surface roughness of the coatings were analyzed using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Pulsed prepared TiN films showed higher hardness and Young's modulus, and smaller grain size and the roughness than dc prepared TiN films.

The structure and properties of pulsed dc magnetron sputtered nanocrystalline TiN films for electrodes of alkali metal thermal-to-electric conversion systems.

Titanium nitride films used as an important electrode material for the design of alkali metal thermal-to-electric conversion (AMTEC) system have been prepared using dc (direct current) and asymmetric-bipolar pulsed dc magnetron sputtering. The pulse frequency and the duty cycle were varied from 5 to 50 kHz and 50 to 95%, respectively. The deposition rate, grain size and resistivity of pulsed dc sputtered films were decreased when the pulse frequency increased, while the nano hardness of titanium nitride films increased.

Superhard nanocrystalline titanium nitride films formed by inductively coupled plasma-assisted sputtering.

Nano fabrication technology of superhard TiN films with sub-nanometered crystallites was developed using an Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) during deposition. Nanocrystalline TiN coatings were fabricated by ICP assisted sputtering and the properies of the coatings were investigated. The ICP assisted TiN coatings showed a much higher nano-hardness (>43 GPa) compared to coatings produced by the conventional DC sputtering process.

Effect of bias voltage on microstructure and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline TiN films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering.

Nanocrystalline TiN films deposited under various bias voltages have been prepared by a reactive magnetron sputtering. The effect of bias voltage on the microstructural morphologies of the TiN films was characterized by FE-SEM and AFM. The texture of the TiN films was characterized by XRD.

Fabrication of nanosized alumina powders by a simple polymer solution route.

Nanosized alumina (Al2O3) powders had been successfully fabricated by a simple polymer solution route employing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as an organic carrier. The fabricated alumina powders had an average particle size of 6.1 nm with a high specific surface area of 99.

Fabrication of Mg2Si thermoelectric materials by mechanical alloying and spark-plasma sintering process.

A mixture of pure Mg and Si powders with an atomic ratio 2:1 has been subjected to mechanical alloying (MA) at room temperature to prepare the Mg2Si thermoelectric material. Mg2Si intermetallic compound with a grain size of 50 nm can be obtained by MA of Mg66.7Si33.