Deposition and structural properties of two-component metal coatings for tribological applications

摘要

Advanced vacuum deposition processes are gaining increasing importance in material manufacturing. This paper describes the deposition of immiscible metal-metal systems by magnetron sputteirng. Two basic deposition modes, codeposition from a multicomponent target and sequential deposition from two separate targets, are discussed. We show that it is possible to obtain a film structure of soft metal particles homogeneously dispersed in a tough metal matrix. In practical, e.g. tribological, applications, the tough matrix takes high mechanical loads, while the soft particles act as a solid lubricant.