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Sputtering Deposition for Advanced Materials and Interfaces
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Sputtering Deposition for Advanced Materials and Interfaces

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2025 | Viewed by 3596

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yaowei Wei

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Material Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
Interests: thin-film solar cell; sputtering deposition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Kalpathy B. Sundaram

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816-2362, USA
Interests: nano

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite submissions to the Special Issue “Sputtering Deposition for Advanced Materials and Interfaces”.

“Sputtering Deposition for Advanced Materials and Interfaces” publishes new research on functional interfaces and their specific applications based on sputtering deposition, driving forward our understanding of interfacial processes. Interfaces between solids, liquids, and gases play an essential role in virtually all materials and devices. This Special Issue provides an international forum for advanced materials and interfaces, serving the interdisciplinary community of chemists, engineers, physicists, and biologists focusing on how newly discovered materials and interfaces can be developed and used for specific applications.

Both original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Applications of 2D materials and heterostructures;
  • Surfaces and interfaces in optoelectronic devices;
  • Applications of self-assembled and nanopatterned surfaces and interfaces;
  • Biological and medical materials and interfaces;
  • Organic electronic devices and interfaces;
  • Energy, environmental, and catalysis materials;
  • Functional inorganic materials and devices;
  • Surfaces, interfaces, and applications;
  • Functional nanostructured materials;
  • Applications of polymer, composite, and coating materials.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Yaowei Wei
Prof. Dr. Kalpathy B. Sundaram
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sputtering deposition
  • advanced materials and interfaces
  • interfacial processes
  • international forum
  • interdisciplinary community
  • new discoveries
  • specific applications

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 9955 KiB  
Article
Preparation and Hydrogen Resistance Property of CrCN Coating by Magnetron Sputtering Method Under Different C-Target Powers
by Ke Cai, Bailing Jiang and Xiaolei Su
Coatings 2025, 15(3), 280; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15030280 - 27 Feb 2025
Viewed by 548
Abstract
CrCN coatings on an X80 substrate were prepared by the magnetron sputtering method under different C-target powers. The prepared coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy), respectively. The electrochemical corrosion behavior and [...] Read more.
CrCN coatings on an X80 substrate were prepared by the magnetron sputtering method under different C-target powers. The prepared coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy), respectively. The electrochemical corrosion behavior and contact angle of the prepared coatings were tested by an electrochemical workstation and a wetness angle measuring instrument, respectively. Results showed that when the C-target power was 0 W, the prepared coating was a pure CrN phase, and when the C-target power was above 0 W, the prepared coating was an amorphous phase. The corrosion potential of the prepared coating increased with increasing C-target power. The contact angle increased with increasing C-target power. XPS results showed that there were Cr-N, C-N, C-Cr, sp2 C-C/C-N, and sp3 C-C/C-N bonds in the CrCN crystal. The C-doped CrCN coating indicated better hydrogen resistance than the pure CrN coating. When the C-target power was 140 W, the hydrogen barrier performance of the CrCN coating was about twice that of pure CrN. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Deposition for Advanced Materials and Interfaces)
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21 pages, 8566 KiB  
Article
Research on the Influence of Magnetic Field Assistance on the Quality of an Electro-Spark Deposition Layer
by Yu Liu, Shiqi Zhang, Weiqiang Shao, Ziguang Wang, Jiawei Qu, Weiming Zhou and Shengfang Zhang
Coatings 2025, 15(1), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15010088 - 15 Jan 2025
Viewed by 597
Abstract
Aimed at solving the problems of single control measures in the electro-spark deposition (ESD) process, difficulty controlling the micro-process using heterogeneous materials (for the electrode and matrix), and the unstable quality and reliability of repairs to the deposition layer, a method of magnetic-field-assistance [...] Read more.
Aimed at solving the problems of single control measures in the electro-spark deposition (ESD) process, difficulty controlling the micro-process using heterogeneous materials (for the electrode and matrix), and the unstable quality and reliability of repairs to the deposition layer, a method of magnetic-field-assistance electro-spark deposition (MFESD) was proposed. An MFESD device was built, and a Ni electrode was used for deposition on the surface of 45 steel under the conditions of deposition voltages of 30 V, 60 V, and 90 V, respectively. This study examined the impact of the magnetic field’s intensity and frequency on the microstructure and mechanical properties of electro-spark deposition layers. The results show that the sputtering and protrusion of the electrode material on the surface of the deposition layer gradually decrease with an increase in the magnetic field’s intensity and frequency, defects such as pores and cracks are obviously improved, and the structure is uninterrupted and compact. The surface roughness of the deposited layer decreases with an increase in the magnetic field’s intensity and frequency, and its surface roughness decreases by 44.3%. The cross-section effect of the deposited layer is improved. The thickness of the deposited layer increases with an increase in the magnetic field’s intensity and frequency; the thickness of the deposited layer increases by 13.39%, and its maximum thickness can reach 54.396 μm. At the same time, the microhardness of the deposited layer increases with an increase in the two aforementioned properties of the magnetic field, and its hardness increases by 5.32%. Using a magnetic field to control ESD can effectively control the microscopic process of deposition and obtain high-quality deposition coatings, which have important significance in the surface remanufacturing of key components of high-end equipment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Deposition for Advanced Materials and Interfaces)
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16 pages, 12195 KiB  
Article
Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior of Magnetron Co-Sputtering MoTaN Coatings
by Jia-Yi Hsu and Fan-Bean Wu
Coatings 2025, 15(1), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15010080 - 13 Jan 2025
Viewed by 699
Abstract
In recent years, there have been important developments in the refractory metal nitride coatings used for versatile applications, such as MoN, TaN, NbN, etc. Engineered approaches, including the deposition method, microstructure control, structural design, and the addition of functional elements, are put into [...] Read more.
In recent years, there have been important developments in the refractory metal nitride coatings used for versatile applications, such as MoN, TaN, NbN, etc. Engineered approaches, including the deposition method, microstructure control, structural design, and the addition of functional elements, are put into practice for the promotion of coating characteristics. This study focuses on the microstructure and mechanical properties of ternary molybdenum tantalum nitride, MoTaN, coatings. MoTaN was deposited using a reactive radio frequency (r.f.) magnetron co-sputtering system with Mo/Ta target input power modulation control. The effects of composition and microstructure variations on its mechanical properties, including its hardness, elastic modulus, and wear behavior, were investigated. In general, the MoTaN coatings exhibited a columnar polycrystalline microstructure with MoN(111), Mo2N(111), Mo2N(200), TaN(200), and TaN(220) phases and orientations based on X-ray diffraction analysis. The addition of Ta triggered the transition of the primary orientation of Mo2N(111) into Mo2N(200). Transmission electron microscopy was utilized to analyze the transformation of the multiphase structure and changes in the grain size in terms of the Ta addition. According to nanoindentation and wear resistance analyses, superior hardness, elastic modulus, H/E, H3/E2, and wear-resistance values were identified for the MoTaN coatings with 6.8 to 10.4 at.% Ta, and a maximum hardness of 18.0 GPa was found for the MoTaN coating deposited at an input power of Mo/Ta = 150/100 W/W. An optimized hardness of 18.0 GPa and an elastic modulus of 220.7 GPa were obtained. The adjustment of the input power during deposition played a critical role in determining the overall performance of the MoTaN co-sputtering coatings. The MoTaN coating with optimized mechanical properties is attributed to its multiphase microstructure and fine columnar grain size of less than 30 nm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Deposition for Advanced Materials and Interfaces)
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35 pages, 44676 KiB  
Article
Investigation of Optical Properties of Complex Cr-Based Hard Coatings Deposited through Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering Intended for Real Industrial Applications
by Vasiliy Chitanov, Lilyana Kolaklieva, Roumen Kakanakov, Tetiana Cholakova, Chavdar Pashinski, Stefan Kolchev, Ekaterina Zlatareva, Genoveva Atanasova, Alexander Tsanev and Kurt Hingerl
Coatings 2024, 14(8), 946; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14080946 - 27 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1072
Abstract
A preliminary investigation of the optical properties of complex Cr-based hard coatings and their connection with the compound structure of the coatings is presented. Cr/CrN, Cr/CrN/CrAlN, Cr/CrN/CrTiAlN, and Cr/CrN/CrAlTiN coating structures were deposited through unbalanced magnetron sputtering. Their mechanical properties, especially nanohardness, coefficient [...] Read more.
A preliminary investigation of the optical properties of complex Cr-based hard coatings and their connection with the compound structure of the coatings is presented. Cr/CrN, Cr/CrN/CrAlN, Cr/CrN/CrTiAlN, and Cr/CrN/CrAlTiN coating structures were deposited through unbalanced magnetron sputtering. Their mechanical properties, especially nanohardness, coefficient of friction, and adhesion, were measured. The structure and composition of the coatings were characterised through SEM, FIB, XPS, and TEM. Their optical properties were investigated by UV-VIS ellipsometry. The optical parameters’ phase difference Δ, the amplitude ratio Ψ, the frequency-dependent real (ε1(ω)) and imaginary (ε2(ω)) part of the dielectric function, and the corresponding refractive and extinction indexes n(ω) and k(ω) were measured and modelled via regression analysis implemented using the WVASE© software version 3.686. Satisfactory coincidence was achieved between the measured optical data and the corresponding fitting models. The physical polycrystalline optical constants of the industrial samples were extracted from modelling data with roughness. The analysis of the data showed that ellipsometric characterisation can be used in order to determine the physical properties of Cr-based hard coatings with complex structure and composition, as well as for repeatability control of the deposition process. However, more detailed research is needed to predict the composition based on measured optical properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Deposition for Advanced Materials and Interfaces)
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