N.Laidani, A.Nefedov, V.Micheli, and M.Anderle.

ITC-irst, Divisione Fisica Chimica Superfici Interfacce,

Via Sommarive 18, 38050 Povo (Trento), Italy

Thin films of zirconia-carbon were deposited by r.f. magnetron sputtering. Two separate targets of ZrO2 and graphite were used and a range of composition was selected from 0 to 30 at.% carbon. A tetragonal zirconia phase was found in films containing 10-30 at.% carbon, while films with less carbon or of pure zirconia grew in the monoclinic phase. The tetragonal phase of the ZrO2-C films coincided with a zirconia structure deficient in oxygen and with the presence of high compressive internal stresses in the films.