Non-equilibrium surface conditions and microstructural changes following pulsed laser irradiation and ion beam mixing of Ni overlayers on sintered alpha-SiC

Pulsed laser irradiation and ion beam mixing of thin Ni overlayers on sintered alpha-SiC have been investigated as potential surface modification techniques for the enhancement of the mechanical properties of the SiC. Each of these surface processing methods are nonequilibrium techniques; materials interactions can be induced at the specimen surface which are not possible with conventional thermal techniques. As a result of the surface modification, the physical properties of the ceramic can be altered under the correct processing conditions. Following laser irradiation using a pulsed ruby or krypton fluoride (KrF) excimer laser, the fracture strength of the SiC was increased by approximately 50 percent and 20 percent, respectively. However, ion-beam mixing of Ni on SiC resulted in no change in fracture strength. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and Rutherford backscattering techniques, have been used to characterize the extent of mixing between the Ni and SiC as a result of the surface modification and to determine the reason(s) for the observed changes in fracture strength. 19 references