Method for Determining the Melting Temperature of Hf–C–N Thin Films Synthesized by Magnetron Deposition

The aim of this study was to develop a magnetron-sputtering technique for synthesizing hafnium carbonitride coatings and a method for determining the melting temperature of the coating material that would correlate with the melting temperatures of the corresponding bulk materials. Magnetron sputtering was used to obtain a coating with a composition of 53 at.% Hf, 27 at.% C, and 20 at.% N. The coatings were characterized by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. The study demonstrated the synthesis of hafnium carbonitride coatings with a specified stoichiometric composition. The nitrogen concentration in the plasma-forming gas at which Hf–C–N formation begins was identified. A method for determining the melting temperature of thin-film coatings was developed, providing an approach for studying new materials prepared in thin-film form.