Selectable phase formation in VAlN thin films by controlling Al⁺ subplantation depth

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Thin Film Deposition
• Crystallography

Background:

• Metastable transition metal nitride-based layers are crucial for advanced applications due to their unique properties.
• Controlling crystalline phase formation in these materials is challenging but essential for optimizing performance.
• Existing synthesis methods often lack the precision needed for selective phase control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel thin film synthesis technique for precise control over crystalline phase formation.
• To demonstrate the technique's efficacy using the V_0.26Al_0.74N material system.
• To enable the phase-selective synthesis of novel metastable materials.

Main Methods:

• Employed reactive hybrid high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) of Al and direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) of V.
• Utilized a mixture of Ar/N₂ gas.
• Tuned the incident energy and subplantation depth of Al⁺ metal ions to control phase formation.

Main Results:

• Achieved a complete transition from hexagonal to a supersaturated cubic crystalline structure in V_0.26Al_0.74N.
• Demonstrated unprecedented control over crystalline phase formation in metastable transition metal nitride layers.
• The synthesized materials exhibit excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability, and oxidation resistance.

Conclusions:

• The developed thin film synthesis technique offers precise control over crystalline phase.
• This method facilitates the creation of novel metastable materials with enhanced properties.
• The findings pave the way for advanced materials in demanding applications.