Orientation Relationship between the TRIP Steel Substrate and the ZrO2 thin Film.

Distinct orientation relationships between face-centred cubic austenite (γ-Fe) and cubic c-ZrO₂ were found and assigned using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) that was complemented by the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the HRTEM micrographs. These orientation relationships were described as [110] γ-Fe || [111] c-ZrO₂ and ( $1{\bar {1}}1$) γ-Fe || ( $02\overline {2} $) c-ZrO₂. They imply the heteroepitaxial growth of the counterparts that improved substantially the adhesion between γ-Fe and c-ZrO₂. The analysed specimens were prepared by magnetron sputtering from an unstabilized ZrO₂ ceramic target in argon atmosphere on TRIP steel substrate. The microstructure of the thin zirconia films was analysed using glancing-angle x-ray diffraction (GAXRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and TEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]