The energetic characteristics of growth and radiation defects (RDs) in boron carbide films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering on a steel substrate and irradiated with powerful electron and pulsed ion beams were investigated. The relationship between the characteristics of point RDs, the degree of distortion of the electronic structure and the characteristics of interband and exponential absorption was established. The absorption spectra of the films were due to electronic transitions between the defects energy states localized in the band gap and interband transitions. The stability of characteristics to electron irradiation was due to the high concentration of growth defects, distributed along the boundaries between the structural fragments. Short-pulse implantation of carbon ions stimulates partial annealing of intrinsic RDs and their redistribution and formation of thermally stable complexes from defects. Boron carbide films significantly exceed the radiation resistance of sodium calcium silicate glass, but are slightly inferior to the films of aluminum and silicon nitrides, obtained by magnetron deposition.

The paper reports on the structure, microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties and oxidation resistance of WNx films with a stoichiometry x = [N]/[W] ranging from 0 to 1.5 prepared by magnetron sputtering. It was found that (i) films with x <= 0.20 exhibit alpha-W structure and columnar microstructure, while films with x >= 0.27 exhibit beta-W2N or delta-WN structure and fine-grained microstructure, (ii) the hardness H and hardness to effective Young's modulus H/E* strongly affect the tribological properties of the films. Furthermore, we investigate and discuss how the tribological properties are affected by the humidity and by the film oxidation. The oxidation is expressed in terms of the thickness of the WO3 scale, and is shown to be significantly different for x <= 0.20 and x >= 0.27 WNx films.

The article reports on the formation of high-temperature β-phase films prepared by magnetron sputtering. The principle of formation of the β-phase films is explained. It is shown that the β-phase films are composed of elements that crystallize in different crystal structures and are a novel class of heterostructural films. The properties of the β-phase films are unique and they are controlled by the crystal structures in which the elements contained in the films crystallize. It means that there are three basic parameters which decide on the resulting properties of the β-phase films: (1) the energy delivered into the film during its growth, (2) the elemental composition of the film and (3) the crystal structure of elements or phases in the film. The existence of many possible combinations of the crystal structure of elements and/or phases in the film makes it possible to develop new advanced heterostructural films with new unique properties. It is a great challenge for the further progress in the field.

• Flexible Al-Si-N films can be prepared by magnetron sputtering . • Flexibility of the film is controlled by the energy delivered to the growing film. • The energy is controlled by ion bombardment.