Closed Field Unbalanced Magnetron Barrel Sputtering: Unique Performance Coatings for FACTS Parts

Environmentally friendly coating substitutes for electroplated Cr and CD parts is a continuing need for government and industrial manufacturing operations. TA&T proposes a new approach CLOSED FIELD UNBALANCED MAGNETRON BARREL CO-SPUTTERING - that promises high density, adherent and corrosion resistant coatings with tailorable friction and wear properties for FACTS type components. This proposal outlines a systematic plan to demonstrate the feasibility of novel, co-sputtered coatings for corrosion and wear applications. A resistor drum coater will be upgraded to a confocal closed field magnetron configuration to allow uniform deposition of high quality co-sputtered coatings. Two types of material systems will be deposited, optimized and tested; A1-Mg on aircraft fasteners and B4C-Cr on bearing balls. Feedback from these tests and post test compositional and microstructural analysis will provide guidance for co-sputtering compositional and processing refinements in Phase II.