Artículos SCI

Morphological evolution of ZrO2 thin films deposited during pulsed laser deposition of Zr in O-2 atmosphere has been experimentally studied at two different film deposition temperatures, 300 and 873 K. The roughness exponent, alpha, the growth exponent, beta, the coarsening exponent, 1/z, and the exponent defining the evolution of the characteristic wavelength of the surface, p, for depositions at 300 K amounted to beta = 1.0 +/- 0.1, alpha = 0.4 +/- 0.1, 1/z = 0.34 +/- 0.03, and p = 0.49 +/- 0.03, whereas for depositions carried out at 873 K amounted to beta = 0.3 +/- 0.3, alpha = 0.4 +/- 0.2, and 1/z = 0.0 +/- 0.2. Experimental error becomes important due to the flat morphology of the films inherent to the deposition technique. The change in the surface topography with the film temperature has been studied with the help of a simple Monte Carlo model which indicates the existence of two different growth regimes: a shadowing dominated growth, occurring at low temperatures, characterized by calculated values beta = 1.00 +/- 0.04, alpha = 0.50 +/- 0.04, p = 0.46 +/- 0.01, and 1/z = 0.35 +/- 0.02 and a diffusion dominated growth that takes place at high temperatures as well as at low deposition rates, characterized by calculated values beta = 0.15 +/- 0.08, alpha = 0.33 +/- 0.04, and 1/z = 0.33 +/- 0.07. The good agreement obtained between the experimental and simulated parameters is discussed within the frame of the general characteristics of the deposition method.

The synthesis of solid solutions in the HfB2-ZrB2 system was conducted by mechanically induced self-sustaining reaction (MSR) processes under an inert atmosphere from elemental mixtures of Hf, Zr, and B. The stoichiometry of the Hf1-xZrxB2 solid solution phase was controlled by adjusting the Hf/Zr/B atomic ratio in the starting mixture. Composite materials with SiC were achieved by adding the required amount of SiC to the Hf/Zr/B reactant mixture. The presence of up to 20 vol% of SiC did not inhibit the MSR process. Longer milling times were required to ignite the mixture. Small amounts of the refractory phases ZrC or HfC were observed in the composite powders. The chemical composition, structure, and microstructure of products were studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. This complete characterization confirmed the formation of P6/mmm hexagonal diboride phases with a submicrometric microstructure. The determination of the chemical composition and lattice parameters ascertained the formation of solid solutions with good chemical homogeneity in the HfB2-ZrB2 system.