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AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsDaniel M. Makowiecki, Alan F. Jankowski
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Hard coatings are fabricated from multilayer boron/boron carbide, boron carbide/cubic boron nitride, and boron/boron nitride/boron carbide, and the fabrication thereof involves magnetron sputtering in a selected atmosphere. These hard coatings may be applied to tools and engine and other parts, as well to reduce wear on tribological surfaces and electronic devices. These boron coatings contain no morphological growth features. For example, the boron and boron carbide used in forming the multilayers are formed in an inert (e.g. argon) atmosphere, while the cubic boron nitride is formed in a reactive (e.g. nitrogen) atmosphere. The multilayer boron/boron carbide, and boron carbide/cubic boron nitride is produced by depositing alternate layers of boron, cubic boron nitride or boron carbide, with the alternate layers having a thickness of 1 nanometer to 1 micrometer, and at least the interfaces of the layers may be of a discrete or a blended or graded composition.
A multilayer structure consisting of a material selected from the group consisting of alternating layers of boron and boron carbide, and alternating layers of boron nitride and boron carbide.
A multilayer structure consisting of magnetron sputtered alternating layers of at least two materials selected from the group consisting of boron, boron carbide, and cubic boron nitride.
A multilayer structure consisting of a plurality of different boron containing layers selected from the group consisting of boron, boron carbide, and cubic boron carbide, and including at least one layer of boron carbide.
A multilayer structure consisting of a plurality of different boron containing layers selected from the group consisting of boron, boron nitride, and boron carbide, each of said boron containing layers having compatible mechanical characteristics and atomic structures.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.