Ion nitriding of aluminium - experimental investigation of thermal transport

To study the thermal transport during the ion nitriding of aluminium, samples of pure polycrystalline Al have been subsequently implanted with 14N and 15N. The implantation have been performed by a broad beam ion source with an energy of 1 keV and hihg current density of 1 mA/cm2. The temperature was kept at 500oC which allows fast diffusion. The oxygen partial pressure was below 3 x 10-5 Pa throughout treatment. The samples were analysed by X-ray diffraction grazing incidence technique. The depth profiles of the isotopes were obtained by Nuclear Reaction Analysis. The measurements reveal the formation of a hexagonal AlN-phase and show that the preimplanted isotope is found only in the bulk, while the postimplanted isotope is located near the surface. Thermal transport mechanisms are discussed on the basis of the obtained results.