Effect of tantalum addition on properties of Cu-Zr-based thin film metallic glasses (TFMGs)

Abstract

Cu-Zr-Ta ternary thin film metallic glasses (TFMGs) were deposited through the direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering of pure metallic targets in a dynamic mode. The effect of tantalum addition on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermal behavior of TFMGs were investigated. Nanoindentation measurements showed that an increase in tantalum content from 0 to 47 at % favored hardness and Young's modulus, which rose from 5.8 to 11.23 Gpa and from 90 to 136 Gpa, respectively. XRD analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements highlighted an improvement of thermal stability with the tantalum addition from 377 to 582 ffiC when the tantalum content increased from 0 to 31 at %.