Orientation Relationship between the TRIP Steel Substrate and the ZrO2 thin Film

Distinct orientation relationships between face-centred cubic austenite (γ-Fe) and cubic c-ZrO2 were found and assigned using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) that was complemented by the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the HRTEM micrographs. These orientation relationships were described as [110] γ-Fe || [111] c-ZrO2 and () γ-Fe || () c-ZrO2. They imply the heteroepitaxial growth of the counterparts that improved substantially the adhesion between γ-Fe and c-ZrO2. The analysed specimens were prepared by magnetron sputtering from an unstabilized ZrO2 ceramic target in argon atmosphere on TRIP steel substrate. The microstructure of the thin zirconia films was analysed using glancing-angle x-ray diffraction (GAXRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and TEM.