MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF NICKEL ION-IMPLANTED WITH TITANIUM AND CARBON AND THEIR RELATION TO MICROSTRUCTURE

Dual ion implantation of titanium and carbon into nickel was shown to produce an amorphous layer with exceptionally high strength and hardne ss and substantially improved tribological properties. Indentations te sting at submicrometer penetrations combined with finite-element model ing permitted quantification of the intrinsic elastic and plastic prop erties of the amorphous layer, which was found to have a yield strengt h near 5 GPa. During unlubricated sliding contact with a steel pin, th e implantation treatment reduced friction, suppressed adhesion-and-fra cture wear, and reduced wear depth. These tribological effects may enh ance the performance and lifetime of microelectromechanical systems co nstructed from nickel. [SO021-8979(98)09303-7].