Structural and Mechanical Properties of Zirconia Film Deposited by Plasma Focus Device

Nano-crystalline ZrO2/ZrSiO4 composite films are deposited on Si by the irradiation of energetic oxygen ions by plasma focus operation. The XRD patterns confirm the development of different phases (ZrO2 and ZrSiO4) which grow along various orientations and their peak intensities strongly depend on increasing focus shots and sample angular positions. The average crystallite size of the films deposited at 0° angular position is increased with increasing focus shots while it is decreased for the films deposited at 10° angular position. The dislocation density in ZrSiO4 (2 0 4) plane is increased from 3.51 × 10−5 to 8.67 × 10−5 (nm)−2 while it is decreased from 8.85 × 10−5 to 0.011 × 10−5 (nm)−2 in m-ZrO2 (1 2 3) plane when the samples are treated at 0° and 10° angular positions for five focus shots respectively. The FESEM analysis confirms the formation of rounded nano-particles, complicated network of nano-rods, formation of compact, uniform and smooth multi-layers. The EDS analysis confirms the presence of Si, Zr and O in the composite films deposited for different focus shots and sample angular positions. The maximum microhardness of the composite film deposited for 25 focus shots is found to be 10.56 ± 0.51 GPa which definitely will improve the life time of the coated material.