NANOCRYSTALLINE IRON LAYERS PRODUCED BY THE PULSE PLASMA METHOD

Using crystallization from the gaseous phase, layers with a nanocrysta lline structure and strongly distorted crystalline lattice were obtain ed. The layers were deposited at temperatures within the range from 37 3 to 523 K. The layers produced at 373 K were composed of the two phas es: Fe alpha and Fe gamma. When deposited at higher temperatures, the layers were monophase and contained the Fe alpha phase alone. Dependin g on the temperature of the substrate, the hardness of the layers was greater by a factor of 4.8 to 2.5 than that of iron with a coarse-grai ned structure. (C) 1997 Acta Metallurgica Inc.