Optical and Electrical Properties of Vanadium Nitride Thin Films

Abstract

Vanadium nitride thin films have been deposited on to quartz substrates by dc magnetron sputtering at two different total pressures and a series of nitrogen partial pressures. The spectral transmittance of these films, in the region 350 to 1500 nm, is strongly dependent on the nitrogen partial pressure during sputtering and relatively insensitive to total pressure. The films became more transparent as the nitrogen partial pressure was decreased at a constant total pressure. The optical constants, refractive index and extinction coefficient, exhibited a similar dependence on the nitrogen partial pressure. The sheet resistivity of the films decreased with increasing nitrogen partial pressure. The values of resistivity indicate that the films are semiconducting rather than metalic. * Corresponding author. 833 Int. J. Mod. Phys. B 1999.13:833-839. Downloaded from www.worldscientific.com by UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA @ SAN DIEGO on 04/13/15. For personal use only.

Investigating the effect of nitrogen on the structural and tribo-mechanical behavior of vanadium nitride thin films deposited using R.F. magnetron sputtering

“…The hard phases corresponding to transition metal nitrides are capable of retaining their mechanical properties such as strength and hardness under extreme conditions, because of which, they have been receiving considerable attention in the recent past [1][2][3]. Vanadium nitride (VN) is one such transition metal nitride, which has found its way in a wide variety of applications in many industrial fields, owing to their excellent properties such as high hardness and wear resistance, good electrical and thermal conductivity [4,5], good catalytic activity, and excellent thermal stability [6][7][8].,.…”

Polymorphic transformation from body-centered to face-centered cubic vanadium metal during mechanosynthesis of nanostructured vanadium nitride determined by extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

“…1 In particular, the cubic vanadium nitride ͑␦-VN͒ has extreme hardness, high thermal and electrical conductivity, and corrosion resistance. 2,3 These properties make it a suitable component for many uses, such as cutting tools, structural materials, magnetic and electric components, and superconducting devices, as VN is a superconductor with a transition temperature ranging from 2 to 9 K. [3][4][5] Conventionally, it is prepared by direct nitridation of pure metal or by carbothermal reduction in other compounds, both processes under nitrogen or ammonia atmosphere above 1000°C. 6,7 Recently, several other methods have been employed to synthesize VN; for instance, reactive magnetron sputtering deposition, ammonolysis of precursor compounds of the metal, thermal reduction-nitridation in an autoclave, solid state metathesis, or self-propagating high temperature synthesis, to name but a few.…”

Effect of Technical Parameters on Preparing for Vanadium Nitride

“…The microalloy technology of vanadium and nitrogen can make the most use of the cheap nitrogen element, which can play a role in the deposit strengthening and grain fining, and optimize the deposit of vanadium [1,2]. Vanadium nitride has played a great part in steel industry now, and the research of synthesizing process has significance in both theory and practice.…”