Deposition and surface treatment with intense pulsed ion beams

Intense pulsed ion beams (500 keV, 30 kA, 0.5 μs) are being investigated for materials processing. Demonstrated and potential applications include film deposition, glazing and joining, alloying and mixing, cleaning and polishing, corrosion improvement, polymer surface treatments, and nanophase powder synthesis. Initial experiments at Los Alamos have emphasized thin-film formation by depositing beam ablated target material on substrates. We have deposited films with complex stoichiometry such as YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x and formed diamond-like-carbon films. Instantaneous deposition rates of 1 mm/s have been achieved because of the short ion range (typically 1 μm), excellent target coupling, and the inherently high energy of these beams. Currently the beams are produced in single shot uncomplicated diodes with good electrical efficiency. High-voltage modulator technology and diodes capable of repetitive firing, needed for commercial application, are being developed.