DEPOSITION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TIALZRN FILMS PRODUCED BY A COMBINED STEERED ARC AND UNBALANCED MAGNETRON SPUTTERING TECHNIQUE

Are-Bond Sputter (ABS(TM)) physical vapour deposition, which utilizes a steered are metal ion etch substrate pretreatment stage prior to closed field, unbalanced magnetron sputter coating, has been undertaken. This paper presents results on the mechanical and physical properties of a range of TiAlZrN, TiAlN and TiZrN ABS coatings deposited on high speed steel and stainless steel substrates under standard deposition conditions. In addition, this paper also reports on coatings deposited by a new combined steered are and unbalanced magnetron method to produce superlattice films of variable periodicity in the TiAlN-ZrN and TiAlN-TiN systems, with good adhesion, variable colour, high Knoop microhardness and dense microstructure.