Plasma-assisted deposition of a three-layer structure by vacuum and gas arcs

The durability and adhesion of thin coatings often depends on the structure and properties of the layer intermediate between the coating and the substrate, especially in the case where the layer and the substrate are highly different in microhardness. With a vacuum arc and a hot-cathode arc, a process has been arranged which involves cleaning of the surface, nitration of the article, and deposition of a coating. As a result, a three-layer composition has been produced which consists of a TiN layer of thickness up to 5 /spl mu/m and microhardness 20 GPa, an intermediate Fe/sub 4/N layer of thickness up to 8 /spl mu/m and microhardness 7.5 GPa, and a nitrated layer of thickness up to 100 /spl mu/m with a gradually varying microhardness. With the TiN layer showing high adhesion, the coating has a durability three of four times greater than that of a coating produced with the use of a conventional technology.