Structure and properties of reactivity sputtered γ-Mo2N hard coatings

Abstract The microstructure, mechanical properties and microhardness of MoN films deposited on stainless steel are studied in detail. X-ray and electron diffraction studies show that the films consist of a polycrystalline γ-Mo 2 N phase. The microstructure was found to be independent of the type of substrate, stainless steel, silicon and glass used for deposition. The microhardness of the films was found to be 23.1 ± 1.5 GPa, indicating that they may be used as hard protective coatings.