The Role of Surface Processes on the Kinetics of Plasma Nitriding of Solids

Abstract

The prevailing processes determining kinetics of heterogeneous processes in reactive plasma are considered. It is shown that simultaneous action of sputtering and adsorption initiates process of stochastic mixing which results in the penetration of adsorbed species into bulk. The preferential sputtering enriches surfaces by components having low sputtering yields and acts as driving force of interdiffusion into the bulk. The sputtering results in surface roughening. It is shown that surface roughness increases in the case of multielemental targets having different sputtering yields.