Coatings synthesised by the pulsed laser ablation of a B4C/W2B5 ceramic composite

Abstract

A pellet of B4C/W2B5 ceramic composite was characterised and subjected to pulsed laser ablation for the deposition of coatings on corning glass substrates. We reports an attempt to produce coatings from B4C/W2B5 by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The thermal, electric and mechanical properties of B4C/W2B5 suggest that coatings synthesised from this composite can be used for space applications. The samples were characterised using X-ray Diffraction, Atomic Force Microscopy and Heavy Ion Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis. The characterisation of the samples deposited on soda lime corning glass showed that the laser energy used in this PLD was enough to obtain non amorphous coatings formed by some alteration of the tungsten carbide crystal lattice at room temperature, and that there was no stoichiometry transfer as would be expected from PLD. The coating also showed space applicable features worth investigating.