Ion processing of alumina ceramics by high-power pulsed beams

The modification effects of the subsurface layers of alumina ceramics under irradiation by high-power carbon beam are investigated. Irradiation was performed on TEMP ion beam accelerator at a residual pressure of 10−4 Torr. The energy of accelerated ions was 200 keV. The current density per pulse varied within 15-85 A/cm2. Mechanical properties and phase composition in subsurface ceramics layers before and after irradiation were analyzed by microhardness testing and X-ray diffraction, respectively. No changes in the ceramics phase composition were observed. It was found that the treatment of ceramics with a powerful pulsed ion beam leads to a significant change in the microhardness of subsurface layers. The increase in microhardness depends on the current density and the deposited energy. The greatest increase in microhardness (up to 2.5 times) is observed at a current density of 50 A/cm2.