Sputtering and Redeposition of Cathode Material during Plasma Nitriding

Abstract

Copper, titanium and iron-manganese-aluminium alloy workpieces have been exposed to a plasma nitriding glow discharge at 450°C. It has been found that material is non-uniformly sputtered and redeposited on the cathode in the form of a surface layer. The relative surface area covered by redeposited material with respect to the surface area on which sputtering predominates is governed by workpiece geometry and operating pressure.