Approximately 0.2-3.2 mu m thick single phase chromium oxide (Cr2O3) coatings with different oxygen flow rates were deposited on silicon and mild steel substrates at low substrate temperature (similar to 60 degrees C) by pulsed-direct current (DC) reactive unbalanced magnetron sputtering. Two asymmetric bipolar-pulsed DC generators were used to co-sputter two Cr targets, in Ar + O-2 plasma. The coatings were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nanoindentation hardness tester, optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry and potentiodynamic polarization techniques. The XRD data showed the presence of mixture of crystalline (rhombohedral Cr2O3) and amorphous phases for the coatings prepared with oxygen flow rate less than 10 sccm. A complete transformation to amorphous phase was observed at higher oxygen flow rates. The XRD results were supported by Raman spectroscopy data. The XPS data suggested that the chemical state of Cr was in the form of Cr3+. The chromium oxide coatings exhibited a maximum hardness of 22 GPa and an elastic modulus of 208 GPa. The coatings exhibited high thermal stability upon annealing in vacuum up to 500 degrees C and retained hardness as high as 17 GPa. Spectroscopic ellipsometry data indicated that coatings prepared at higher oxygen flow rates were dielectric in nature and those prepared at low oxygen flow rates exhibited an intermediate character, i.e., a transition between the dielectric and the metallic behavior. The corrosion behavior of Cr2O3 coating deposited on mild steel substrates was investigated using potentiodynamic polarization in 3.5% NaCl solution. The results indicated that Cr2O3 coating exhibited superior corrosion resistance as compared to the uncoated substrate. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.