High-rate hot hollow cathode arc deposition of chromium and chromium nitride films

The hollow cathode in the diffuse arc regime (hot cathode arc) was used for deposition of chromium (Cr) and chromium nitride (CrN) films. The chromium hollow cathode serving as a gas inlet was connected to a radio frequency (rf) generator with the rf power up to 300 W. The temperature of the hollow cathode outlet reached 1400 °C. The microcrystalline structure and properties of both Cr and CrN films deposited at different rf powers were studied in more detail. Films were deposited on unheated silicon and steel substrates. Hard, highly textured crystalline CrN films with thickness of 45 μm were deposited at rates as high as 2.5 μm/min. These deposition rates exceed rates of TiN films deposited at comparable conditions. The process parameters and film properties are very promising for industrial applications of the hot hollow cathode arcs (HCAs) generated by the linear magnetized hollow cathodes.