Age hardening in superhard ZrB2-rich Zr1-xTaxBy thin films

Use of cleaved wedge geometry for plan‐view transmission electron microscopy sample preparation

“…STEM images in Figure 5b,c reveals the atomic scale characteristics of the film and proves the proposed preparation method to be capable of delivering a high‐quality specimen for plan‐view TEM analysis. In fact, the maturity of the proposed preparation method is verified by its successful application in a handful of the studies elsewhere (Bakhit, Palisaitis, Persson, et al, 2020; Bakhit, Palisaitis, Thörnberg, et al, 2020; Bakhit et al, 2021; Dorri et al, 2021; Mockute et al, 2019; Mockuté et al, 2017; Nedfors et al, 2016; Nedfors et al, 2019; Nedfors et al, 2020; Novoselova et al, 2018; Palisaitis et al, 2021; Thörnberg et al, 2020).…”

“…In fact, the maturity of the proposed preparation method is verified by its successful application in a handful of the studies elsewhere F I G U R E 4 SEM images showing the plan-view FIB liftout steps from the cleaved wedge: 4.1 milling trench from the substrate-side (a), 4.2 milling frame around lamella (b), 4.3 milling electron transparent window from the substrate-and film-sides (c), 4.4 transfer to the MEMS chip, (d) and 4.5 final sample (e). High-magnification STEM images recorded from as prepared film Bakhit, Palisaitis, Thörnberg, et al, 2020;Bakhit et al, 2021;Dorri et al, 2021;Mockute et al, 2019;Mockuté et al, 2017;Nedfors et al, 2016;Nedfors et al, 2019;Nedfors et al, 2020;Novoselova et al, 2018;Palisaitis et al, 2021;Thörnberg et al, 2020). Further, it was observed that for films with a weak adhesion to the substrate, proposed sample cleaving produce (Figure 1) produces the cleave wedge with the substrate-fee films sticking out from the wedge.…”

Hard and electrically conductive multicomponent diboride-based films with high thermal stability

“…[5][6][7] for recent reviews) as well as in the form of films. The latter includes binary diboride coatings TiB 2 [8,9], ZrB 2 [3], TaB 2 [10], HfB 2 [11], diboride-based coatings Ti-B-C [12], Hf-B-Si-C [13,14], M-B-C-N (M = Ti, Zr, Hf) [15] or ternary diboride coatings Zr x Ta 1-x B y [16,17], Zr 1-x Cr x B y [18], Ti 1-x Ta x B 2±Δ [19].…”

Systematic compositional analysis of sputter-deposited boron-containing thin films

“…24,25 Moreover, there is a class of boron-containing materials formed by mixing B and transition metals, referred to as transition-metal diborides (TMB2), which have high melting points, excellent hardness, good tribological and corrosion properties, relatively low electrical resistivity, and high thermal and chemical stability. [26][27][28][29][30][31][32] TMB2 typically crystallize in a hexagonal AlB2-type structure (P6/mmm, where B atoms form graphite-like honeycomb sheets between hexagonalclose-packed TM layers. The properties of TMB2 mainly originate from their chemical bonding; strong covalent bonding between TM and B atoms as well as within the honeycomb B sheets, and metallic bonding within TM layers.…”

“…1 Due to these ceramic and metallic features, TMB2 thin films are promising candidates for replacing TM nitrides, which currently have a broad range of industrial applications. [30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] The properties and functionalities of the above exposé of boron-containing materials largely depend on their elemental (and impurity) compositions and distribution. Thus, a precise compositional analysis of these materials is essential.…”