Phase transition signature on elastic constants in Al1-xCrxNy ternary alloys thin films
Résumé
According to Cr content, ternary Al1-xCrxNy films structure evolves from hexagonal to cubic phase. Despite numerous studies on their mechanical properties in relation with the deposition process, the relationship between this phase transition and elastic properties has never been deeply studied. In this paper, the transition has been evidenced by picoseconds ultrasonic and Brillouin light scattering at a chromium concentration of 40 at. % and is characterized by a strong increase of C-33 and C-44 effective elastic constants (respectively, +83% and +70%). (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4816355]