Features of Layer Formation on the Surface of Valve Metals in the Process of the Ion-Beam-Assisted Deposition of Metals from Vacuum-Arc Discharge Plasma

Abstract

Layers on the surface of aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium, and tantalum are formed using ion-beam-assisted metal deposition. Deposition of the metal and mixing of the deposited layer with the substrate surface with accelerated (U = 20 kV) ions of the same metal are carried out in an experimental setup, respectively, from the neutral fraction of metal vapor and ionized plasma of a pulsed vacuum (p ~ 10^–2 Pa) arc discharge. Multi-component amorphous layers containing atoms of the deposited metal, components of the substrate material including oxygen of the surface oxide film, as well as hydrocarbon molecules as impurities, are obtained. It is established that during the ion-beam-assisted deposition of metals with getter properties (Zr, Cr, Er, Dy, etc.) onto the surface of the materials under study, significant amounts of gases are captured from the residual atmosphere of the vacuum working chamber and included in the composition of the layer being formed. It is noted that the content of atoms of the substrate material in the layer is small. During the ion-beam-assisted deposition of metals which do not exhibit getter properties, the content of impurities in the resulting layers is significantly less; they contain atoms of the deposited metal and the substrate material.