Published: 1996
Total Pages: 5
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Plasma Source Ion Implantation research at Los Alamos Laboratory includes direct investigation of the plasma and materials science involved in target surface modification, numerical simulations of the implantation process, and supporting hardware engineering. Target materials of Al, Cr, Cu-Zn, Mg, Ni, Si, Ti, W, and various Fe alloys have been processed using plasmas produced from Ar, NH3, N2, CH4, and C2H2 gases. Individual targets with surface areas as large as (approximately)4 m2, or weighing up to 1200 kg, have been treated in the large LANL facility. In collaboration with General Motors and the University of Wisconsin, a process has been developed for application of hard, low friction, diamond-like-carbon layers on assemblies of automotive pistons. Numerical simulations have been performed using a 21/2-D particle- in-cell code, which yields time-dependent implantation energy, dose, and angle of arrival for ions at the target surface for realistic geometries. Plasma source development activities include the investigation of pulsed, inductively coupled sources capable of generating highly dissociated N with ion densities n{sub i} (approximately) 1011/cm3, at (approximately)100 W average input power. Cathodic arc sources have also been used to produce filtered metallic and C plasmas for implantation and deposition either in vacuum, or in conjunction with a background gas for production of highly adherent ceramic coatings.