Compositionally-graded Cr2AlC coatings were deposited from composite targets with Al concentration gradients along the long-axis of the targets, ranging from 20.0 to 30.0 at.%, in an industrial plant. Stoichiometric Cr2AlC coatings deposited by HPPMS with a peak-power density of 217 W/cm2 and at substrate bias potential of −100 V require an Al concentration in the target of 30.0 at.% to compensate for the Al-loss induced by preferential re-sputtering and thermally induced desorption at these deposition conditions. The HPPMS deposition of a stoichiometric Cr2AlC coating at floating potential can be attained from a target segment containing 26.4 at.% of Al. Hence, during synthesis at 560 °C in an industrial deposition system with two-fold rotation significant deviations between target and coating composition were observed. It was demonstrated that these ion energy and power density induced reductions in Al concentration can be compensated for by utilizing Al-rich composite targets.
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