Growth of polycrystalline Pr2NiO4+δ coating on alumina substrate by RF magnetron co-sputtering from composite targets
Introduction
Rare-earth nickelates oxides R2NiO4+δ (R = La, Nd, Pr) with K2NiF4 type structure have peculiar magnetic, electrical and infrared optical properties [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]. As reported by multiple investigations, these materials are able to convert the heating energy in infrared radiant energy with a maximal efficiency in the mid-infrared range, which according to several authors may be attributed to the polaronic concept [8], [9], [10], [11]. In particular, Rousseau et al. [12] demonstrated the high pseudo blackbody behavior in the 400–5000 cm-1 infrared range (i.e ε ≈ 1) of a 20 µm thick rough coating of praseodymium nickelate oxide deposited on cordierite-mullite substrate by spray pyrolysis method. Such material allows both a high thermal flux density and a maximal emittance range corresponding to the absorption range of mineral or organic materials (thermoforming, paint, food-processing industry, etc.). Therefore Pr2NiO4+δ is an excellent candidate for advanced industrial applications based on infrared radiative heater, which tend to replace the classical convective heater. As it is the most difficult R2NiO4+δ nickelate to synthesize, a reproducible and standardized synthesis method is required for coating deposition. Among physical vapor deposition techniques, magnetron sputtering is a versatile one, suitable for high quality coatings with good adhesion of a wide range of materials at commercially useful rates and environmentally-friendly. The current work presents the optimization conditions of Pr2NiO4+δ coatings by RF magnetron sputtering and post-annealing treatment with a particular attention on the phase formation and the coatings microstructure. Preliminary emittance measurements are also reported.
Section snippets
Experimental details
Pr2NiO4+δ coatings were prepared in two steps. The first step was to obtain the desired cationic Pr/Ni ratio of 2. The second step corresponds to a post-annealing treatment in order to achieve the formation of Pr2NiO4+δ phase. Coatings depositions were performed by RF magnetron co-sputtering from metallic composite target on 12 mm × 12 mm × 0.6 mm polycrystalline alumina substrates under argon atmosphere at room temperature. Alumina refractory material has been used due to its low thermal expansion
Results and discussion
It is challenging with composite targets to determine the proper surface ratio of each metal in order to obtain the sought stoichiometry, due to the intrinsic erosion inhomogeneity of magnetron sputtering. Other intrinsic and extrinsic parameters can also affect the composition, the microstructure and the phase of the coating such as argon pressure, power sputtering, substrate temperature or target-to-substrate distance. So an optimization of the deposit conditions is essential to obtain the
Conclusion
Polycrystalline Pr2NiO4+δ coatings have been obtained by combining RF magnetron co-sputtering with an appropriate heat treatment at 1100 °C. Chemical, structural and microstructural analyses have been performed to show an oxygen excess of about 0.10, a root mean square height of the surface roughness of 0.25 µm and a thickness ranging between 1 and 2 µm. The normal spectral emittance, measured at 794 °C in the spectral range 400–5000 cm-1, reaches to ε = 0.8 in the opaque zone, which is a promising
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Dr. N. Alyabyeva, Dr. A. Ruyter and Mr. F. Dorvaux from GREMAN, Tours. We would like gratefully thank Dr. D. De Sousa Meneses and Mr. L. Cosson for their contribution on the infrared measurements.
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