Hafnium carbide hard coatings produced by pulsed laser ablation and deposition

In this paper the results of the deposition of thin films of hafnium carbide by pulsed laser ablation deposition are reported. The coatings characteristics, investigated by conventional techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM/TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are discussed in relation with the properties of the plasma produced in the interaction between the laser source (frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser) and the target. The plasma analysis, performed by emission spectroscopy, optical imaging and time of flight mass spectrometry, is also used to clarify the ablation mechanism and to compare it with those of the other carbides of the same group.