Abstract

VELASCO, L; OLAYA, J. J  and  RODRIGUEZ-BARACALDO, R. The corrosion resistance and microstructure of UBM system-deposited Nb_xSi_yN_z thin films. Ing. Investig. [online]. 2012, vol.32, n.3, pp.10-13. ISSN 0120-5609.

Nb_xSi_yN_z thin film nanostructure was grown using the unbalanced magnetron sputtering (UBM) technique with varying Si content. Corrosion resistance was evaluated by potentiodynamic polarisation technique in a 3% NaCl solution. Microstructure was analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser scanning microscopy. Chemical composition was ascertained by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique. The results showed that deposition rates increased with higher Si content. A micro-structural change was observed for greater than 5% Si content through the transition from a crystalline to an amorphous structure in the thin films. Corrosion test results demonstrated that the thin films having the highest silicon content had better corrosion resistance.

Keywords : Corrosion; diffraction; spectroscopy; fluorescence; microstructure; microscopy; race track; x ray; thin film; sputtering; polarisation.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in English     · English ( pdf )