Properties of Films of Cr-Co-Cu-Fe-Ni and Cr-Co-Cu-Fe-Mn-Ni Alloys Deposited by Magnetron Sputtering

The goal of our investigation is to find out the relations between composition and structure of magnetron sputtered CoCrCuFeNi and CrCoCuFeMnNi alloy films and technological parameters - the magnetron discharge current (Id) and the bias voltage applied to the substrate (U-b) that provides the ion bombardment (IB) of growing film. It was found that the films of both of the alloys are nanocrystalline and crystallize in two-phase (FCC and BCC) solid solutions. IB of the films of both compositions in the range of E-i =(0-300 eV) affects its composition and structure. The films deposited under IB with E-i similar to 300 eV are markedly depleted in Cu for CoCrCuFeNi or both in Cu and Mn for CrCoCuFeMnNi alloys, while the composition of films deposited without IB coincides with that of the target. An increase of the energy delivering to the growth surface (an increase of I-d and/or U-b) promotes the surface temperature rise that leads to the grain size growth and film texturing. A noticeable decrease of the BCC phase volume in films deposited at U-b = -300 V was also observed. Films formed under IB with E-i approximate to 100 eV possess maximal microhardness.