In this letter we report the controlled growth and microstructural evolution of self-assembled nanocomposite multilayers that are induced by surface ion-impingement. The nanoscale structures together with chemical composition, especially at the growing front, have been investigated with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Concurrent ion impingement of growing films produces an amorphous capping layer 3 nm in thickness where spatially modulated phase separation is initiated. It is shown that the modulation of multilayers as controlled by the self-organization of nanocrystallites below the capping layer, can be tuned through the entire film.

Nanoscale deformation in TiC∕a-C nanocomposite coatings is revealed by combined nanoindentation and high resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. A process characterized by rearrangement of TiC nanocrystallites and the displacement of a-C matrix is found to dominate the deformation mechanism at length scales ranging from tens of nanometers down to 1nm and contributes to toughening of the nanocomposite coatings by delocalizing local plastic deformations.

Structure and mechanical properties of nanoscale multilayered CrN/ZrSiN coatings J.This paper concentrates on the deformation behavior of amorphous diamondlike carbon composite materials. Combined nanoindentation and ex situ cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy investigations are carried out on TiC/a-C nanocomposite films, with and without multilayered structures deposited by pulse dc magnetron sputtering. It is shown that by controlling the distribution of nanocrystallites forming nanoscale multilayers, the system can be used as a "microstructural ruler" that is able to distinguish various deformation patterns, which can be hardly detected otherwise in a homogeneous structure. It is shown that rearrangement of nanocrystallites and displacement of a-C matrix occur at length scales from tens of nanometer down to 1 nm. At submicrometer scale homogeneous nucleation of multiple shear bands has been observed within the nanocomposites. The multilayered structure in the TiC/a-C nanocomposite film contributes to an enhanced toughness.