Some novel surface modification applications of a new kind of high current metal ion implantation facility

A novel high current metal ion implantation facility has been developed in which a metal vapor vacuum arc ion source is used. The source is operated in a pulsed mode, with pulse width 0.25 msec and repetition rate up to 100 pps. Beam extraction voltage is up to 100 kV and beam current up to several amperes peak and 10–20 mA time averaged delivered onto target. Implantation is done in a broad beam mode with a direct line of sight from ion source to target. Virtually all of the solid metals of the Periodic Table can be used. The facility has been used for a variety of different research applications, including metallurgical surface modification, high temperature oxidation resistance, ‘fine tuning’ of the composition of highT c superconducting thin films, formation of buried conducting layers in silicon, and other research purposes. Here we describe the implantation facility and some of the research programs carried out at our laboratory and collaboratively with others.