Mechanical properties of aluminum, zirconium, hafnium and tantalum oxides and their nanolaminates grown by atomic layer deposition

ABSTRACT The mechanical properties of two different metal oxide nanolaminates comprised of Ta 2 O 5 and Al 2 O 3 , HfO 2 or ZrO 2 , grown on soda–lime glass substrate by atomic layer deposition, were investigated. Ta 2 O 5 and Al 2 O 3 layers were amorphous, whereas ZrO 2 and HfO 2 possessed crystalline structure. Thickness of single oxide layers was varied between 2.5 and 15 nm. The total thickness of the laminate structures was in the range of 160–170 nm. The hardness values of single layer oxides on glass ranged from 6.7 GPa (Ta 2 O 5 ) to 9.5 GPa (Al 2 O 3 ). Corresponding elastic moduli were 96 GPa and 101 GPa. The hardnesses of laminates were in the range of 6.8–7.8 GPa and elastic mo…