Synthesis, structural and mechanical characterization of sputtered tungsten oxide coatings

• Main Author: Parreira, N. M. G.
• Publication Date: 2006
• Other Authors: Carvalho, N. J. M., Cavaleiro, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: https://hdl.handle.net/10316/4224; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2005.12.299
• topic: Tungsten oxide; Reactive sputtering; Structural properties; Mechanical properties

Tungsten oxide coatings were deposited without substrate bias by DC reactive magnetron sputtering of a tungsten target using oxygen as reactive gas. By tuning the partial pressure of oxygen (pO2/pAr) between 0 and 4, the oxygen content of the films was changed from 0 to 75 at.%. The structure of the films (investigated by X-ray diffraction) depends on their oxygen content. For low oxygen contents, the [alpha]-W and [beta]-W3O phases were observed (< 30 at.%), and with the increase of oxygen content (30 at.% < O < 67 at.%) the structure became amorphous. A transition region was obtained for oxygen content between 67 at.% and 75 at.%, and when O > 75 at.%, a nanocrystalline (WO3) structure was reached.