Effect of bias voltage on the structural properties of WN/NbN nanolayer coatings deposited by cathodic-arc evaporation

• Published in: Journal of physics. Conference series 2024-02, Vol.2712 (1), p.12014
• Main Authors: Smyrnova, K, Sahul, M, Haršáni, M, Čaplovič, Ľ, Beresnev, V, Čaplovičová, M, Kusy, M, Pogrebnjak, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adhesive strength; Arc deposition; Bias; Cathodic coating (process); Electric potential; Microstructure; Multilayers; Physical vapor deposition; Protective coatings; Scanning electron microscopy; Scanning transmission electron microscopy; Stainless steels; Substrates; Surface roughness; Synthesis; Voltage
• ISSN: 1742-6588; 1742-6596
• DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/2712/1/012014

In this work, WN/NbN nanolaminate coatings were synthesized by cathodic-arc physical vapor deposition (CA-PVD) technique on a stainless-steel substrate. The paper reports the microstructure, cross-sectional morphology, surface roughness, and adhesion strength changes caused by variations in the absolute values of the negative substrate bias voltage, U s , in the 50-200 V range. Synthesized coatings were analyzed by Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GI-XRD), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), and Daimler-Benz test. The phase analysis revealed that multilayer coatings had complex polycrystalline microstructure. They consisted of face-cantered cubic (fcc) β-W 2 N, fcc δ-NbN, and hexagonal ε-NbN phases. The total thickness and surface roughness had a descending trend with an increase in the absolute value of the negative bias voltage. Moreover, the WN/NbN coating deposited at U s = -50 V demonstrated the best adhesion strength to the substrate, suitable for protective coatings.