DETERMINATION OF ZR AND TI IN 3-MU-M-THICK ZRTIN CERAMIC COATING USING LASER-ABLATION INDUCTIVELY-COUPLED PLASMA-ATOMIC EMISSION-SPECTROMETRY

Analysis of 3-mu m-thick ZrN, TIN, and ZrTiN ceramic coatings on a hig h-speed steel substrate by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma a tomic emission spectrometry (LA-ICP-AES) is described, A Nd:YAG laser was used in the Q-switched mode and operated at 355 nm and 5 mJ, Ablat ion patterns were obtained on the target surface by moving the ablatio n chamber with respect to the laser beam by means of an X-Y translator , Control of the depth of penetration was obtained by successively per forming a limited number of cycles. Transient signals were obtained an d their peak areas were used for the construction of calibration graph s based on the concentrations determined by energy-dispersive X-ray (E DX) analysis, An erosion rate of 0.1 mu m per cycle was observed, Crat er shape and depth, temporal behavior, and reproducibility of the sign als are described.