The Influence of Magnetron Sputtering Conditions on the Structure of Zr–Pd Coatings

Using the method of DC magnetron sputtering, nonstructured amorphous metal coatings of Zr 75 Pd 25 composition were obtained with an average deposition rate of 1.3 nm/s at a substrate temperature of 40°C, while crystalline coatings were formed at a higher substrate temperature. A crystalline coating with equilibrium phase composition was obtained at 350°C. Coatings deposited at intermediate temperatures contained predominantly a PdZr phase, in contrast to the equilibrium PdZr 2 phase. The surface roughness of amorphous coatings was on a level of 0.2–0.5 nm, which was about ten times lower than the mean roughness of crystalline coatings with the same composition.