VmeCN Based Nanoscale Multilayer PVD Coatings Deposited by the Combined High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering/Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering Technology

TiAlCN/VCN has been deposited by the combined high power impulse magnetron sputtering/unbalanced magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS/UBM) technology using a Hauzer HTC 1000-4 PVD system. V+ ion flux has been generated by HIPIMS discharge to sputter-clean the substrates prior to the coating deposition. The sputtering was carried out in a mixed CH4, N2 and Ar atmosphere. Coatings phase and nanoscale structure were characterised using a variety of surface analysis techniques. In dry milling of Al 7010-T 7651 alloy, a TiAlCN/VCN nanoscale multilayer PVD coating outperformed state-of-the-art diamond-like carbon (DLC, Cr/WC/a-CH) coating by a factor of four. In drilling Al-alloy enforced MMC materials, cemented carbide drills coated with TiAlCN/VCN produced 130 holes compared to one to two holes with uncoated drills.