Surface Properties of Silver Thin Films by Ion Plating and Their Corrosion Behavior

Silver thin films were prepared by ion plating process on the stainless steel 440C varying both argon gas pressure and bias voltage of processing condition. After the silver thin films were prepared, the influence of argon gas pressure and substrate bias voltage on their crystal orientation and morphology of the films were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffractor respectively. And the corrosion behavior on silver film was estimated by measuring of anodic polarization curves in 0.5M Na2S solution. The morphology of films was decreased the crystal grain size with increasing argon gas pressure in processing condition. The crystal orientation, regardless of substrate bias voltages. On the other hand, the films at deposited 1.7 x 10-5 torr exhibited on the surface of film with preferred orientation (200) face. As a result of anodic polarization, (200) preferred orientation of films showed low passive current density below the 0V/SCE potential. While the potential was over 0V/SCE, films of (111) preferred orientation showed better corrosion resistance, reversely