V0.5Mo0.5Nx/MgO(001): Composition, nanostructure, and mechanical properties as a function of film growth temperature

V(0.5)Mo(0.5)Nx/MgO(001) alloys with the B1-NaCI structure are grown by ultra-high-vacuum reactive magnetron sputter deposition in 5 mTorr mixed Ar/N-2 atmospheres at temperatures T-s between 100 and 900 degrees C. Alloy films grown at T-s <= 500 degrees C are polycrystalline with a strong 002 preferred orientation; layers grown at T-s >= 700 degrees C are epitaxial single-crystals. The N/Metal composition ratio x ranges from 1.02 +/- 0.05 with T-s = 100-500 degrees C to 0.94 +/- 0.05 at 700 degrees C to 0.64 +/- 0.05 at T-s = 900 degrees C. N loss at higher growth temperatures leads to a corresponding decrease in the relaxed lattice parameter a(0) from 4.212 A with x = 1.02 to 4.175 angstrom at x = 0.94 to 4.120 angstrom with x = 0.64. V(0.5)Mo(0.5)Nx nanoindentation hardnesses H and elastic moduli E increase with increasing T-s, from 17 +/- 3 and 323 +/- 30 GPa at 100 degrees C to 26 +/- 1 and 370 +/- 10 GPa at 900 degrees C. Both polycrystalline and single-crystal V(0.5)Mo(0.5)Nx films exhibit higher toughnesses than that of the parent binary compound VN. V(0.5)Mo(0.5)Nx films deposited at higher Ts also exhibit enhanced wear resistance. Valence-band x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses reveal an increased volume density of shear-sensitive d-t(2g) d-t(2g) metallic states for V(0.5)Mo(0.5)Nx compared to VN and the density of these orbitals increases with increasing deposition temperature, i.e., with increasing N-vacancy concentration.(C) 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.