Synthesis of α-Al2O3 coatings by reactive anodic arc evaporation under high-density low-energy ion assistance

Abstract

Reactive anode evaporation of Al on metallic substrates with an isostructural sublayer at a temperature of 640 °C has allowed obtaining α-Al2O3 coating at a rate of 4.5 μm/h. It has been shown that the use of low-energy (50 eV) intense (up to 15 mA/cm2) ion assistance with a low content of metal ions ensures the formation of the Al2O3 α-phase with a low level of micro-distortions (less than 0.15%), an increased nanocrystallite size (more than 40 nm) and low internal stress (up to 2 GPa). © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.