• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.242-247
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• 2013

Zr-Al-N coatings were synthesized by the hybrid coating system combining arc ion plating and DC magnetron sputtering from a Zr and an Al target in argon-nitrogen atmosphere, respectively. By changing the power applied on the Al cathodes, the Zr-Al-N coatings with various Al contents were deposited. The microstructure and chemical compositions of the Zr-Al-N coatings were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). With increasing of Al content in the coatings, the solid solution (Zr, Al)N crystallites were observed in the Zr-Al-N coatings. The nanohardness of the Zr-Al-N coatings exhibited a maximum value of 42 GPa for the Zr-Al (7.9 at.%)-N, and decreased with further increase in Al content in the coatings. The oxidation and corrosion behavior of the Zr-Al-N coatings revealed better properties compared than those of ZrN coatings due to the formation of a solid solution.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.125-129
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• 2016

In this study, we have investigated a high-temperature AlN nucleation layer and AlGaN epilayers on c-plane sapphire substrate by low-pressure metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (LP-MOCVD). High resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Raman scattering measurements have been exploited to study the crystal quality, surface morphology, and residual strain of the HT-AlN nucleation layer. These analyses reveal that the insertion of an LT-AlN nucleation layer can improve the crystal quality, smooth the surface morphology of the HT-AlN nucleation layer and further reduce the threading dislocation density of AlGaN epifilms. The mechanism of inserting an LT-AlN nucleation layer to enhance the optical properties of HT-AlN nucleation layer and AlGaN epifilm are discussed from the viewpoint of driving force of reaction in this paper.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.498-504
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• 2014

Particulate nitride composites have been fabricated by sintering the compacted powder of AlN and 5 - 64.3 mol% $Al_2O_3$, with a small addition of $Y_2O_3$ ($Y_2O_3$/AlN, 1 wt%), in 1-atm nitrogen gas at $1650-1900^{\circ}C$. The composites were characterized in terms of sintering behavior, phase relations, microstructure and thermal shock resistance. AlN, 27R AlN pseudopolytype, and alminium oxynitride (AlON, $5AlN{\cdot}9Al_2O_3$) were found to existin the sintered material. Regardless of batch composition, the AlN-$Al_2O_3$ powder compacts exhibited similar sintering behavior; however, the degree of shrinkage commonly increased with increasing $Al_2O_3$ content, consequently giving high sintered bulk density. By increasing the $Al_2O_3$ addition up to ${\geq}50 mol%$, the matrix phase in the sintered material was converted from AlN or 27R to AlON. Above $1850^{\circ}C$, a liquid phase was formed by the reaction of $Al_2O_3$ with AlN, aided by $Y_2O_3$ and mainly existed at the grain boundaries of AlON. Thermal shock resistance was superior in the sintered composite consisting of AlON with dispersed AlN or AlN matrix phase.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.558-563
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• 2008

TiAlN films were deposited on WC-5Co substrates with different buffer layers by D.C. magnetron sputtering. The films were evaluated by microstructural observations and measuring of preferred orientation, hardness value, and adhesion force. As a process variable, various buffer layers were used such as TiAlN single layer, TiAlN/TiAl, TiAlN/TiN and TiAlN/CrN. TiAlN coating layer showed columnar structures which grew up at a right angle to the substrates. The thickness of the TiAlN coating layer was about $1.8{\mu}m$, which was formed for 200 minutes at $300^{\circ}$. XRD analysis showed that the preferred orientation of TiAlN layer with TiN buffer layer was (111) and (200), and the specimens of TiAlN/TiAl, TiAlN/CrN, TiAlN single layer have preferred orientation of (111), respectively. TiAlN single layer and TiAlN/TiAl showed good adhesion properties, showing an over 80N adhesion force, while TiAlN/TiN film showed approximately 13N and the TiAlN/CrN was the worst case, in which the layer was destroyed because of high internal residual stress. The value of micro vickers hardness of the TiAlN single layer, TiAlN/TiAl and TiAlN/TiN layers were 2711, 2548 and 2461 Hv, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.58-65
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• 2010

AlN thin films were deposited on sapphire substrates and ZnO templates by rf-magnetron sputtering. Powder-sintered AlN target was adopted for source material. Thickness of AlN layer was linearly dependent on plasma power from 50 to 110 W, and it decreased slightly when working pressure increased from 3 to 10 mTorr due to short mean free path of source material sputtered from AlN target by Ar working gas. When $N_2$ gas was mixed with Ar, the thickness of AlN layer decreased significantly because of low sputter yield of nitrogen. AlN layer was also deposited on ZnO template. However, it showed weak thermal stability that the interface between AlN and ZnO was deteriorated by rapid thermal annealing treatment above $700^{\circ}C$. In addition, ZnO layer was largely attacked by MOCVD ambient gas of hydrogen and ammonia around $700^{\circ}C$ through inferior AlN layer deposited by sputtering. And AlN layers were fully peeled off above $900^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.878-882
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• 1999

Structural properties of $Al_xGa_1-_xN$ epilayers grown on (0001) sapphire substrate by plasma induced molecular beam epitaxy are investigated in the range of AlN molar fraction from 0.16 to 0.76. The AlN molar fraction estimated by X-ray diffraction agrees well with that of Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, showing a good linear relationship. The uniform Auger electron microscopy depth profile and linear dependence of average atomic concentration of all the constituents of AlGaN epilayers on AlN molar fraction imply that the epitaxial growth of $Al_xGa_1-_xN$ layers with variation of AlN molar fraction is well controlled without the compositional fluctuation in depth of the epilayer. It is observed by atomic force microscopy that the surface grain shape of $Al_xGa_1-_xN$ epilayer changes from roundish to coalesced one with increasing AlN molar fraction.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.109-115
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• 2003

Quaternary Ti-Al-Si-N films were deposited on WC-Co substrates by a hybrid deposition system of arc ion plating (AIP) method for Ti-Al source and DC magnetron sputtering technique for Si incorporation. The synthesized Ti-Al-Si-N films were revealed to be composites of solid-solution (Ti, Al, Si)N crystallites and amorphous Si3N4 by instrumental analyses. The Si addition in Ti-Al-N films affected the refinement and uniform distribution of crystallites by percolation phenomenon of amorphous silicon nitride, similarly to Si effect in TiN film. As the Si content increased up to about 9 at.%, the hardness of Ti-Al-N film steeply increased from 30 GPa to about 50 GPa. The highest microhardness value (~50 GPa) was obtained from the Ti-Al-Si-N film haying the Si content of 9 at.%, the microstructure of which was characterized by a nanocomposite of nc-(Ti,Al,Si) N/a$-Si_3$$N_4$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.49-59
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• 2001

Functionally gradient materials(FGMs) generally consist of different material components, such as ceramics and metals. Continuous changes in their composition, microstructure, porositys, and so on result in gradients in the properties of FGMs. In this study AlN/Al-$Al_3$Ti FGM cubes were fabricated by the powder metallurgical process, and the characteristics of the FGMs were investigated. Powders of Mg and Ti mixed with Al in different ratios or the stack of the mixed powders having a stepwisely controlled compositional gradient from one plane to another were formed in a steel mold. The more the composition of Mg and sintering temperature are increased, the more the amount of AlN is formed. AlN and $Al_3$Ti distributed with continuously gradient composition were detected by XRD analysis and also revealed in optical microstructures, and microhardness tests.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.603-608
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• 2017

$Si_3N_4$ is a ceramic material attracting attention in many fields because of its excellent abrasion resistance. In addition, Ti and TiAl alloys are metals used in a variety of high temperature environments, and have attracted much attention because of their high strength and high melting points. Therefore, study of the interface reaction between $Si_3N_4/Ti$ and $Si_3N_4/TiAl$ can be a useful practice to identify phase selection and diffusion control. In this study, $Si_3N_4/Ti_5Si_3+TiN/TiN/Ti$ diffusing pairs were formed in the $Si_3N_4/Ti$ interfacial reaction and $Si_3N_4/TiN(Al)/Ti_3Al/TiAl$ diffusion pathway was identified in the $Si_3N_4/TiAl$ interfacial reaction. The diffusion layers of the interface reactions were identified and, to investigate the kinetics of the diffusion layer, the integrated diffusion coefficients were estimated.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2020

In this research, 50 nm thick AlN thin films were deposited on the patterned sapphire (0001) substrate by using HVPE (Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy) system and then epitaxial layer structure was grown by MOCVD (metal organic chemical vapor deposition). The surface morphology of the AlN buffer layer film was observed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and AFM (atomic force microscope), and then the crystal structure of GaN films of the epitaxial layer structure was investigated by HR-XRC (high resolution X-ray rocking curve). The XRD peak intensity of GaN thin film of epitaxial layer structure deposited on AlN buffer layer film and sapphire substrate was rather higher in case of that on PSS than normal sapphire substrate. In AFM surface image, the epitaxial layer structure formed on AlN buffer layer showed rather low pit density and less defect density. In the optical output power, the epitaxial layer structure formed on AlN buffer layer showed very high intensity compared to that of the epitaxial layer structure without AlN thin film.