Pt thin films with a Cr or Ti interlayer were deposited onto a tungsten carbide (WC) substrate by ion beam-assisted direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering. The percentage composition of Cr and Ti underneath the Pt films varied and the complete thin film characteristics were used to categorize specimens. Microstructure and surface analysis of the specimens were conducted by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry and atomic force microscopy. Mechanical properties such as hardness and adhesion strength of Pt thin films were also examined. Interlayers of pure Ti or Cr were formed with thicknesses of 40 nm and 50 nm, respectively. The growth rates of both Cr and Ti thin films were similar when exposed to the same deposition conditions. Analysis of the specimen SEM images revealed that all Pt thin films investigated, irrespective of target composition, had anisotropic grains with a dense columnar structure. Hardness and adhesion strength values of the Cr/ Pt thin films were higher than those of the Ti/Pt thin films.

Keywords: Pt, Ion beam assisted DC magnetron sputtering, Molding core, Tungsten carbide.