Deposition and characterization of pulsed direct current magnetron sputtered Al95.5Cr2.5Si2 (N1-xOx) thin films

Aluminum rich oxynitride thin films were prepared using pulsed direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering from an Al95.5Cr2.5Si2 (at.%) target. Two series of films were deposited at 400 degrees C and 650 degrees C by changing the O-2/(O-2 + N-2) ratio in the reactive gas from 0% (pure nitrides) to 100% (pure oxides). The films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nanoindentation. The results showed the existence of three different regions of microstructure and properties with respect to the oxygen concentration. For the samples deposited at 650 degrees C in the nitrogen rich region (O-2/(O-2+N-2)