Investigation on processing of industrial set-up plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition with pulsed d.c. power

The possibility of surface modification on dyes and tools is investigated with pulsed d.c. plasma enhanced chemical Vapor deposition (PECVD) on an industrial scale. The effects of pulsed parameters such as pulsed voltage and pulsed frequency on the performance of the coated samples are analyzed based on mechanical testing and microstructural examinations. The tested samples are titanium nitride film coated on steels and cemented carbides. Experiments indicate that the inner-wall of the holes can be coated with the aid of pulsed d.c. plasma, and the quality of coatings depends to a great extent on the pulsed parameters. The adhesion strength characterized by the critical force in indentation test can be increased over 1000 N on the high-speed steel substrate when the processing condition is optimized, and the processing procedure plays an important role in the pulsing deposition. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.