Formation of a Cr-Zr surface alloy using a low-energy high-current electron beam

Abstract

Abstract The paper investigates the regularities of the formation of Cr-Zr surface alloy using a low-energy high-current electron beam (LEHCEB). The influence of the electron-beam processing parameters and the magnetron deposition parameters on the elemental composition of the formed Cr-Zr surface alloy is estimated. It is shown that, for all considered modes, there is a general tendency to a decrease in the chromium content in the surface alloy with an increase in the energy density or the LEHCEB processing pulse number. The thickness increasement of the chromium film applied in one cycle or the surface alloy total thickness increasement leads to an increase in the chromium content in the surface alloy. The LEHCEB processing parameters, namely the energy density and the number of pulses, have a greater effect on the chromium content during the formation of the Cr-Zr surface alloy in comparison to the magnetron sputtering parameters, namely the deposited film thickness and the formed surface alloy thickness. A linear regression model that describes the chromium content in the surface alloy depending on the film thickness, the surface alloy total thickness, the number of pulses and the pulse energy density is proposed.