High performance industrial DLC coatings deposited by PVD and PPD

Thin hard coatings are used in many different industrial sectors due to their high hardness and low friction. The most used material for this type of coatings is Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC). Main limitations to the use of these coatings are high production costs, low adhesion and low productivity. We propose two industrial techniques for DLC deposition: a PVD sputtering system, and a new Pulsed Plasma Deposition (PPD) system. In particular,we discuss the use of interlayers for a better adhesion of DLC films as well as the possibility to obtain high mechanical properties (hardness>30GPa) and low friction. Depositions on metal components is particularly important for many applications in sectors such as aeronautics, automotive, motorsports and cutting/forming tools, as well as for the possibility to coat a high number of objects simultaneously.