Abstract
Chromium nitride (CrN) hard thin films were deposited on different substrates by reactive direct current (d.c.) magnetron sputtering with different nitrogen flow rates. The X-ray diffraction patterns showed mixed Cr2N and CrN phases. The variations in structural parameters are discussed. The grain size increased with increasing nitrogen flow rates. Scanning electron microscopy image showed columnar and dense microstructure with varying nitrogen flow rates. An elemental analysis of the samples was realized by means of energy dispersive spectroscopy. The electrical studies indicated the semiconducting behaviour of the films at the nitrogen flow rate of 15 sccm.
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Acknowledgements
One of the authors (BS) thanks the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (BRNS), Mumbai, for a research grant (Sanction No 2006/37/37/BRNS/2068) and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan, for the award of a FY 2011 JSPS Long term Invitation fellowship.
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SUBRAMANIAN, B., PRABAKARAN, K. & JAYACHANDRAN, M. Influence of nitrogen flow rates on materials properties of CrN x films grown by reactive magnetron sputtering. Bull Mater Sci 35, 505–511 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-012-0344-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-012-0344-0