Papers by Author: H. Reuther

Abstract: Ni-Ti SMA are smart materials undergoing first order martensitic transformations driven by temperature and/or stress. In the form of film they are very attractive candidates for microelectro- mechanical system (MEMS) applications. Future directions include the production of functionally graded films by changing deliberately the ratio Ti/Ni across their thickness. However, for the successful development of this type of films, it is important to characterize, model and control the variations in composition, crystalline structure and transformation temperatures. Our approach is in-situ XRD study of the actual growth of the films of varying composition along the thickness carried out using a deposition chamber installed at a synchrotron radiation beamline. These studies were complemented with ex-situ analysis techniques. The results achieved on a Ni-Ti film co-sputtered from Ni-Ti and Ti targets on a TiN buffer layer are presented in this paper. The deposition started by using optimised parameters for a near equiatomic composition. After 1 h (≈330 nm thick film), the Ti power was increased from 20 to 25 W, leading to the precipitation of Ti2Ni. The evolution of the lattice parameter values of the B2 phase, calculated from the corresponding XRD data, is clearly linked with the increase of the Ti power. The depth profile of the atomic concentrations determined by Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) is in agreement with the in situ XRD results. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity was used to monitor phase transformations, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) has shown the presence of twinned martensite on the film’s surface at room temperature.

Abstract: Different methods of defect engineering are applied in this study for ion beam synthesis of a buried layer of SiC and SiO2 in Si. The initial state of phase formation is investigated by implantation of relatively low ion fluences. He-induced cavities and Si ion implantation generated excess vacancies are intentionally introduced in the Si substrate in order to act as trapping centers for C and O atoms and to accommodate volume expansion due to SiC and SiO2 phase formation. Especially the simultaneous dual implantation is shown to be an effective method to achieve better results from ion beam synthesis at implantation temperatures above 400oC. For SiC synthesis it is the only successful way to introduce vacancy defects. The “in situ” generation of vacancies during implantation increases the amount of SiC nanoclusters and improves crystal quality of Si in the case of SiO2 synthesis. Also the pre-deposition of He-induced cavities is clearly advantageous for the formation of a narrow SiO2 layer. Moreover, in-diffusion of O by surface oxidation can substitute a certain fraction of the O ion fluence necessary to obtain a buried homogeneous SiO2 layer. The results show that defect engineering for SiC and SiO2 synthesis is working. However, the implementation of a single action is not sufficient to achieve a significant improvement of ion beam synthesis. Only an optimized combination of the different versions of defect engineering can bring about pronounced better results.

Abstract: Industrially relevant PIII conditions were applied to H13 and CrNiMo 316 steel as well as in CrCoMo and Ti6Al4V metal alloys. Typically, nitrogen ions were implanted at peak voltages of 10 to 15 kV, 50 to 80 (s pulse durations, and 1 to 2 kHz frequencies, for treatment times of 1 to12h. Case thicknesses of more than 20 μm were achieved in treated H13 steel which resulted in reduced friction and wear. For CrNiMo steel, a wear reduction of as high as 160 times was obtained besides a significant reduction of the coefficient of friction. Much thinner modified layer was obtained for Ti6Al4V but sufficient for an important improvement of the surface hardness.