10.1186/2193-8865-3-5

Annealing temperature effect on the mechanical and tribological properties of molybdenum nitride thin films

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  • Kaykhosrow Khojier*1,
  • Mohammad Reza Karami Mehr2,
  • Hadi Savaloni3,
  1. Department of Physics, Chalous Branch, Islamic Azad University, Chalous, 46615-397, IR
  2. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, 13185-786, IR
  3. Department of Physics, University of Tehran, Tehran, 14395-515, IR
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Published in Issue 25-02-2013

How to Cite

Khojier, K., Mehr, M. R. K., & Savaloni, H. (2013). Annealing temperature effect on the mechanical and tribological properties of molybdenum nitride thin films. Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry, 3(1 (December 2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/2193-8865-3-5
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Abstract

Abstract Mo thin films with 100-nm thickness were deposited on silicon substrates using DC magnetron sputtering method. Mo thin films were subsequently annealed at different temperatures (400°C to 900°C) with flow of nitrogen. The crystallographic structure of the samples was obtained using X-ray diffraction method. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used for surface morphology investigation. Nano-indentation and scratch tests were performed to obtain the surface hardness and friction coefficient of the samples, respectively. Results show that the γ -Μο 2 Ν(111) phase of molybdenum nitride with face-centered cubic structure and higher hardness, elastic modulus, and lower coefficient of friction and scratch volume is formed when the sample is annealed at 650°C, while the Mo 2 N phase with tetragonal structure and lower hardness, elastic modulus, and higher scratch volume and friction coefficient is formed at higher temperatures of 775°C and 900°C. It is found that increasing the annealing temperature causes an increase of the grain size and film surface roughness. From the mechanical results, it may be deduced that 650°C is a critical temperature for variation of mechanical and tribological properties.

Keywords

  • Molybdenum nitride,
  • Nanostructure,
  • Hardness,
  • Friction coefficient,
  • Scratch volume
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