The Influence of the Bias Potential on the Phase Composition, Structure, Substructure and Mechanical Properties of Multilayer TiN / ZrN System Obtained by Vacuum Arc Evaporation.

Influence of constant and pulsed negative bias potential applied to the substrate during the deposition on the phase composition, structure, substructure and mechanical properties of multilayer ZrN / TiN coatings with a bilayer thickness of 50-200 nm was studied. Two-phase coating obtained from ZrN and TiN phases of the fcc structure of NaCl type without a significant loss of planarity and mixing layers is established. The use of high-voltage pulses would greatly change the structure and properties at U_b < 100 V. At larger value of Ub, constant potential becomes crucial for the structural engineering of the coating. It is shown that the greatest hardness is inherent to the coatings obtained by U_b = - 140...- 150 V, and H/E reaches a large value of 0.14, which is difficult to obtain in the single-layer coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]