Abstract
N- or O-doped STS304 stainless films were synthesized by an unbalanced magnetron sputtering process with various argon and reactive gas ($N_2$, $O_2$) mixtures. These films were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and Knoop microhardness tester. The Results from X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that a STS304 stainless steel film synthesized without reactive gas using a bulk STS304 stainless steel target had a ferrite bcc structure ($\alpha$ phase), while the N-doped STS304 stainless film was consisted of a nitrogen supersaturated fcc structure, which hsa a strong ${\gamma}$(200) phase. In the O-doped films, oxide Phases ($Fe_2$$O_3$ and $Cr_2$$O_3$) were observed from the films synthesized under an excess $O_2$ flow rate of 9sccm. AES analysis showed that nitrogen content in N-doped films increased as the nitrogen flow rate increased. Approximately 43 at.%N in the N-doped film was measured using a nitrogen flow rate of 8sccm. In O-doped film, approximately 15 at.%O was detected using a $O_2$ flow rate of 12sccm. the Knoop microhardness value of N-doped film using a nitrogen flow rate of 8 sccm was measured to be approximately $H_{ k}$ 1200 and this high value could be attributed to the fine grain size and increased residual stress in the N-doped film.