TAMEK vacuum arc techniques for metal ion and plasma surface engineering

This paper reviews the development of vacuum are metal-ion sources and their application to material surface modification. The versatile, compact (the high-voltage power supply and the ion gun are located in a space of 70 cm x 40 cm x 25 cm space) TAMEK vacuum are source, operated in the pulsed frequency mode, is capable of generating large spot-area (300-2000 cm(2)) metal ion beams for ion implantation E-i < 200 keV, dD(i)/dt < 10(16) ions cm(-2) min(-1), or deposition dH/dt < 50-200 nm min(-1). If desired, metal ion implantation and deposition, or metal ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) can be performed without switching off the source. The TAMEK source considerably improves IBAD treatment by means of the alternation of ion implantation and ion deposition, and provides coatings both on metals and dielectric materials with deeper mutual mixing at low target temperatures and simple surface preparation before treatment. TAMEK-M sources operated in the pulsed t = 1-5 mu s mode (U-accel < 100 kV, I-i < 5 kA) are used for increasing microhardness in subsurface layers up to 150 mu m in depth after several pulses with an energy input into the surface dW = 2-5 J cm(-2). This permits the TAMEK-M source to be used for the treatment of precision and small-size products (e.g. drills with a diameter smaller than 1-3 mm). TAMEK sources can be used successfully in conventional fields of ion implantation and physical vapor deposition, and some TAMEK applications in the treatment of metals, ceramics, glass, polymers are also possible (e.g. tools, construction materials, electrical contacts and electrodes, mirrors, etc.). (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science S.A.