Influence of substrate structure on the development of stress anisotropy in CrN coatings

CrN/Cr/CrN coatings were obtained by Cathodic Arc (CA) Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) evaporation on three steels (AISI H13, AISI 1040, K340). The structure of the steels before and after deposition was examined by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The results show the presence of elastic stresses, compressive in the coating, tensile in the substrate. Computer simulations were employed to describe the atomic positions in the layers of steel and CrN forming the interface under different reciprocal orientations. The results indicate that the {100} texture of the substrate minimises stress level and leads to same stress values along any two perpendicular directions.