Surface Modification of Stainless Steel with Ti–Si–C Thin Films by Magnetron Sputtering Using Elemental Targets at Low Preparation Temperatures

The deposition of Ti-Si-C thin films by magnetron sputtering was examined at low preparation temperatures using elemental targets of titanium, silicon, and carbon to investigate the effects of substrate temperature on the formation of carbide compounds, such as TiCx and/or Ti3SiC2, and thereby on mechanical properties, such as hardness, and on physical properties, such as the electrical conductivity, of thin films. It was found that Ti-Si-C thin films with an excellent electrical conductivity of approximately 200 mu Omega cm and a surface hardness larger than 10 GPa could be deposited at a temperature of 500 degrees C, which is much lower than conventional deposition temperatures, such as 800 degrees C. Thus, it is expected that this deposition process will be more useful for providing protective coatings for electrical friction contacts. Furthermore, the highest corrosion protection performance was observed in the stainless steel coated with the Ti-Si-C films at 500 degrees C. Therefore, it is also expected that the corrosion protective property of stainless steel substrates will be improved by coating with the thin films at a temperature of 500 degrees C, which is much lower than conventional deposition temperatures, such as 800 degrees C. (C) 2013 The Japan Society of Applied Physics