3.2. Grain size, deposition rate and surface roughness
The values of full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the most
dominating XRD peaks (1 1 1) and (2 0 0)were used to calculate the
grain size, D111 and D200. The average values of the grain size (D)
and thickness of coatings deposited on stainless steel and Si are
summarized in Table 2. It is observed that the crystallite size is
reduced or grain refinement occurs with increase Si content in the
coatings. The XRD analysis of the CrSiN coatings indicated that the
coating with a preferred (1 1 1) orientation decreases. Parallely, a
peak broadening occurs with an increase in the Si content, leading
to the reduction in grain size. The grain size of the CrSiN coating was
38.8nm (Si: 2.67 at.%) which has decreased to 10.5nm for the coating
with 18.65 at.% Si. The reduction of the average grain size Dave