DEPOSITION OF DECORATIVE GOLD-COLORED THIN-FILMS BY ION-ASSISTED PVD PROCESSES

In the last decade, golden wear resistant hard materials deposited by ion-assisted PVD processes have found wide application as protective and decorative coatings. This article deals with the recent developments in the colour adaptation of reactively deposited group IV nitrides to normalized gold tints. Differences in the hue and the brilliance limit their application for jewellery articles. Only compounds consisting of underlayers of the group IV nitrides and thin superficial layers of gold alloys fulfill the high esthetical demands. Own results show the influence of the gold alloy composition and some deposition parameters on the colour.