In the past the plasma assisted AlTiN and AlCrN thin film deposition had been carried out by means of simultaneous operation of hollow cathode with vacuum arc evaporation sources. The additional hollow cathode plasma (P~+- technology) results in advanced thin film properties such as higher hardness, lower droplet density and improved wear resistance. Although, by the addition of silicon to AlTiN or AlCrN standard vacuum arc coatings a phase separation, and the forming of nanocomposites TiAIN / Si_3N_4 - or AlCrN / Si_3N_4 coatings with super hardness and excellent temperature stability were reported, the goal of the presented application of the newly developed P~+- technology is to further improve the deposition conditions as well as to optimize the AlTiSiN thin film properties. A comparison of AlTiSiN thin film coatings deposited by standard vacuum arc sources and the P~+ - process will be presented. AlTiSi target materials with three different contents of silicon (5, 10 and 15 at %) were used for the thin film deposition. The effects of modified silicon contents in AlTiSi- target materials and the simultaneous operation of the two hollow cathodes on plasma parameters during the vacuum arc coating process were examined by the use of optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The influence of the measured plasma parameters on selected AlTiSiN thin film properties will be demonstrated in the standard as well as in the P~+- process.
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