STRUCTURAL-ANALYSIS OF SPUTTERED (W-C)1-XMX (M-EQUIVALENT-TO-FE,CO) FILMS WITH 0-LESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-X-LESS-THAN-OR-EQUAL-TO-0.20

Structural characterization of (W-C)1-xMx (M = Fe,Co) films with 0 less-than-or-equal-to x less-than-or-equal-to 0.20 was carried out using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy-electron diffraction (TEM-ED). The results showed that the structure of these films depends on the percentage of iron and cobalt and becomes amorphous with increasing content of these elements. The microstructure of the crystalline coatings was found to be composed of small grains of beta-WC1-x with a high number of defects. A strong beta-WC1-x [311] texture was observed for iron and cobalt contents around 5.5 at.%. The films richer in iron and cobalt showed typical amorphous XRD and ED patterns, exhibiting two broad peaks and two wide diffuse rings respectively. Moreover, bright-field analysis revealed fairly contrasted images, the structure of these films being difficult to resolve.