MODIFICATION OF THE OUTGASSING RATE OF STAINLESS-STEEL SURFACES BY PLASMA IMMERSION ION-IMPLANTATION

Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) was used to implant stainless steel samples to incorporate oxygen or nitrogen ions into the surface in a defined manner. The aim of this implantation was to create oxide or nitride barrier layers for the gas diffusion or to influence the n umber and behavior of adsorption sites. With the help of surface analy tical methods (especially ESCA (Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Ana lysis)) it was shown that oxygen or nitrogen was incorporated homogene ously below the outermost surface in a special depth interval. First m easurements of the outgassing behavior of these plasma treated surface s, caused by the creation of the implantation layer, are presented. Ef fects of the carbon removal of the outermost surface by the ion bombar dment will be shown. Simple model conceptions were applied to describe the time dependence of the partial outgassing. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scie nce S.A.