LASER NITRIDING INVESTIGATED WITH MOSSBAUER-SPECTROSCOPY

The effect of the nitrogen take-up upon irradiation of iron or steel w ith excimer laser pulses in air or in nitrogen atmosphere is well esta blished. The resulting phase compositions and nitrogen depth profiles were measured by a combination of simultaneous Conversion Electron Mos sbauer Spectroscopy (CEMS), Conversion X-ray Mossbauer Spectroscopy (C XMS), and Resonant Nuclear Reaction Analysis (RNRA) as a function of t he nitrogen gas pressure during irradiation. A maximum nitrogen conten t and a maximum fraction of the E-nitride was found at 0.1 MPa. This r esult is in accordance with hardness measurements performed by the nan oindentation technique.