HIGH-ENERGY HEAVY-ION IRRADIATION OF CHROMIUM FILMS

We have studied the modification of chromium coatings by nickel ion be ams at a high energy (75 MeV) so that the range of the ions is many ti mes the film thickness, which is of the order of 1 mu m. At this energ y, the rate of energy loss of ions is predicted to be fairly uniform o ver the entire thickness of the coating. The coating hardness increase s significantly, even at moderate doses. The effect is stronger when t he film deposition temperature is lower.