EFFECT OF THE C2H2 AND N2 FLOW RATE ON NANOCOMPOSITE nc-ZrCN/a-C:H(N) FILM SYNTHESIZED BY FILTERED CATHODIC VACUUM ARC TECHNIQUE

Nanocomposite nc-ZrCN/a-C:H(N) films were prepared by filtered cathodic vacuum arc technique using the C2H2 and N2 gas as the precursor. The effect of the C2H2 and N2 flow rate on the microstructure, internal stress, phase composition, and mechanical properties of nanocomposite nc-ZrCN/a-C:H(N) films has been investigated by glancing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), surface profiler, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). It was revealed that the C2H2 and N2 flow rate affected the structure, Zr content, and internal stress of the films significantly. Furthermore, XRD pattern indicated the presence of the ZrCN crystalline grains in the range of 3–10 nm, and the deconvolution results for XPS spectra showed that the film mainly was constituted by Zr–C, C=C(sp2) and C–C(sp3) bonds.