Mass transfer of elements and structural-phase changes in heterogeneous thin-film systems under high-power ion beam treatment

Doping of material surface layers though mixing of multi-element thin films with the surface layer of the sample is a promising technological process currently being developed. This work reports the results of experimental investigation of mixing and structural-phase changes in heterogeneous Al–C and Al–Si systems under a high-power pulsed ion beam (HPIB) of carbon (70%) and hydrogen (30%). We measured the distribution of the element concentrations with respect to depth in the sample and phase composition of the heterogeneous systems before and after HPIB treatment. A comparison between the experimental and theoretical results shows that the key role in mass transfer for each element is the existence of concentration gradients for radiation defects.