Ar Phy~ica Hun~ricr 65 (~), ~. ~05-~09 (1989) CHARACTERISTICS OF LASER-HEATED TITANIUM IN A NITROGEN ATMOSPHERE L. N 93 and I. HEVESl D~a~nent ol Ezperimental PhydcJ AthTa J£ Uni~ertity, Szeged, Hun#ary B. S. LUK'YANCHUK, E. M. MOROZOVA, A. S. ROGACHEV, A. V. SIMAKHIN, N. M. SUKONKHINA and G. A. SHAFEEV In4~ 91 of General Plvjsic~, Acaderny of Science~ U~SR Moacow, USSR (Received in revised forro 7 March 1988) Experiments are reported on the laser light induced nitridation of titanium. A strong dependence of the TiN synthesis conditions on the temperature of the samp]e and the compounds in the gaseous environment is reveMed. An existence of an optimum power for achievir~ a good homogeneity of the layer and improving the self-stabil]zstion effect is proved. The_re is considerable interest in the dynamics of laser light heated metals in active gaseons surroundings. Laser-induced heating is especially interesting from a certain scientific aspect (instability, stochastic oscillations, autowaves, eta) and becanse of its prospective applications (synthesis of refractory compounds, modi- fication of surface structures and sudace properties). The nitridation of titanium (among other metals) has been investigsted in [1,2]. The ditterent methods of synthesis of titanium nitride can be clivided into two groups: a. processes carried out under conditions not lar from equi]ibrium (annealing of titanium in a nitrogen 91 b. processes carried out lar from equilibr/um (plasma-chemical deposition, laser-induced synthesis, synthesis by explosion, etc.). In the formation of titanium nitride in a high pressure (1-60.10 s Pa) chamber by plasm 91 and laser-induced methods an intensive bombardment of the Ti sudace by nitrogen ions can be observed asa consequence of the optica] discharge. In order to increase the kinetic energy of the bombaxding ions, an accelerating electric field is sometimes applied. In thiJ case, 91 very effective formation of titanium nitride can be observed ir the thin surface layer of Ti is me]ted. Itis possible by this means to synthetise a titanium nitride ]ayer with a thickness of 10pro [1, 2]. In the target sone covered by laser light-induced plasma, columnar titanium nitride microcrystals may be seen. There is also considerable interest in the syntheds of titanium nitride in air under CW laser light, when the melting of the surface layer, the optical discharge Acta Physica Hu~arir 65, 1989 Akad› Kiad£ B.__,~_pe~