Silver doped Cantor alloy thin films with tweed-like microstructure

Abstract

We report on the effect of silver doping on the microstructure of Cantor alloy thin films deposited by magnetron co-sputtering. The introduction of silver, with its higher enthalpy of mixing exceeding the thermodynamic criterion for stable solid solutions, promotes the coexistence of a crystallized silver face-centered cubic (fcc) phase alongside the Cantor phase. Using X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, alongside with thermodynamic modeling through the CALPHAD methodology, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the resulting tweed-like microstructure. The findings underscore the substantial impact of compositional modifications on the microstructural development of high entropy alloys for their diverse applications.