Pulsed dc Sputtered Nanocrystalline VN Coatings for Electrode Materials for Supercapacitors

Nanocrystalline vanadium nitride coatings for electrode materials for supercapacitors with various pulse parameters have been prepared using dc (direct current) and asymmetric-bipolar pulsed dc magnetron sputtering. The pulse frequency and the duty cycle were varied from 5 to 50 kHz and 50 to 95%, respectively. The deposition rate, grain size and resistivity of pulsed dc sputtered films were decreased when the pulse frequency increased, while the nano hardness of niobium nitride films increased. We present in detail coatings (e.g., deposition rate, grain size, prefer-orientation, resistivity and hardness). Our studies show that niobium nitride coatings with superior properties can be prepared using asymmetric-bipolar pulsed dc sputtering.