Structure and Oxidation Behavior CrN Thin Films Deposited Using DC Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

The CrN ceramic thin films were deposited using DC reactive magnetron sputtering system on silicon wafer substrate. Oxidation behavior was carried out in air at evaluated temperatures ranging from 500 °C up to 900 °C for 2 h. The structure and element composition of the films at different thermal annealing temperatures ranging were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The oxidation activation energies of the films were calculated using Arrhenius equation. The changes in the crystal structure from CrN to Cr2O3 phase were investigated from XRD results. The accumulation of grains on surface was confirmed by FESEM micrographs. The cross-section analysis showed an apparent columnar feature with dense structure for the film annealed at low temperature, and becomes porous when increasing the annealing temperature. The thickness was increased from 1.43 to 2.67 μm. The EDS studies indicated the existence of Cr, N and O with different elements compositions on the deposited thin films. The oxidation activation energy for the CrN thin films is 124.4 kJ/mol.