Aluminum Target Research Articles

Advances in Room Temperature of Indium Aluminum Nitride InAlN Deposition via Direct Current (DC) Co-Sputtering for Solar Energy Applications

This study presents an innovative method for the synthesis of indium aluminum nitride (InAlN) layers by direct current (DC) co-sputtering at room temperature, with the aim of reducing production costs of optoelectronic devices. Indium and aluminum targets are used, varying the power applied to the aluminum target. The results show that increasing the target power favors the formation of aluminum nitride (AlN), which modifies the chemical composition of the material. The layers obtained present smooth surfaces with a roughness of less than 3 nm, which is beneficial for applications requiring interfaces with low defect density. Regarding the optical properties, it is observed that the optical bandgap varies between 1.8 eV and 2.0 eV, increasing with the target power. Hall effect measurements indicate a decrease in the free carrier concentration and an increase in the resistivity with increasing power. This approach allows for the synthesis of InAlN with properties suitable for optoelectronic applications, solar cells, photocatalysis, and photoelectrocatalysis at low cost.

Effects of Process Parameters on Microstructure Evolution of Pure Aluminum Target under Clock 135° Collaborative Hot Rolling: A Simulation Study

Based on the results of current research and experiments, clock 135° hot rolling has been widely considered to be the preferred method in target rolling. However, it has been found that the process parameters are of vital importance during the rolling. Therefore, this work focuses mainly on the investigation of the effects of the roll speed ratio and offset distance on the microstructure evolution of a pure aluminum (Al) target under clock 135° collaborative hot rolling. Taking the ultra-thick pure Al metal circular billet as a research object, firstly, the evolutionary behavior of the effective strain (ES) and grain refinement for a rolled piece under the clock counterclockwise 135° synchronous and asynchronous (the speed ratios between rollers are set to be 1:1.05, 1:1.1, 1:1.2, respectively) rolling modes has been comparatively studied based on numerical simulation by DEFORM-3D software. It has been shown that a large ES value of 5.835 mm/mm is obtained in the lower surface layer by counterclockwise 135° asynchronous rolling with a roll–speed ratio of 1:1.2. Meanwhile, the average grain size below 80 µm accounts for ~61.8% of the total grains. These results demonstrate that the clock counterclockwise 135° asynchronous rolling method with a roll speed ratio of 1:1.2 should be an ideal strategy in obtaining finer grains. Unfortunately, nevertheless, the maximum degree of the bad plate shape is generated after forging by clock asynchronous rolling with a speed ratio of 1:1.2. As a consequence, clock counterclockwise 135° snake rolling with a 30 mm offset distance was proposed on the basis of a rolling speed ratio of 1:1.2, which perfectly corrected the warping plate shape caused by clock asynchronous rolling. What is more important, the minimum damage value of 1.60 was achieved accordingly. Meanwhile, the ES value increased in the core of the plate for the clock counterclockwise 135° snake rolling with all of the four offset distances compared to clock synchronous rolling. This study should be significantly conducive to guidance on setting process parameters in the industrial production of hot rolling metal or alloy targets.

Microstructure, mechanical and tribological characterization of magnetron sputtering ZrN and ZrAlN coatings

In this research paper, mechanical and tribological characterization of novel high wear-resistant ZrN-ZrAlN coatings are presented. The varying concentrations of AlN is chosen to evaluate the influence of AlN the surface morphological, nanomechanical, and tribological properties of the composite coating. The coatings were developed on D9 steel substrates using nitrogen reactive gas radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering of zirconium and aluminium targets in an argon plasma. Variable power density for the aluminium target and constant power density for zirconium, was used to obtain in a systematic way, the variable concentration of AlN in the coating. Surface morphological studies were carried out to evaluate composition and crystal structure using X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Raman spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Coatings display a polycrystalline structure, but the level of crystallinity decreases with higher AlN concentration. Nanomechanical and nano scratch testing, along with tribological experimental studies were performed to comprehensively analyse performance of the developed coatings. Higher hardness of composite coating is achieved with optimal concentration of AlN in ZrN-ZrAlN coating. Adhesion strength of the coatings increased with the increase in the concentration of AlN. ZrN-ZrAlN coatings depicted low wear, however coatings containing AlN exhibits superior wear resistance.

The spatio-temporal evolution of shock wave pressure induced by laser: Effects of laser parameters and confinement layer

The spatio-temporal distribution of the shock wave pressure on the surface of the target is the key to the performance of laser shock processing (LSP), which is mainly determined by the laser parameters and the confinement layer. The two-dimensional kinetic simulations of the expansion process of the shock wave induced by irradiation of an aluminum target with nanosecond laser pulses are performed. It is found that by controlling the gap between the rigid confinement layer and the aluminum target, and the interval time between the double pulse laser pulses, multiple peaks appear on the shock wave pressure-time curve of the aluminum target surface, and the value and interval time of each peak will change.

Growth of Al-Cu Thin Films on LiNbO3 Substrates for Surface Acoustic Wave Devices Based on Combinatorial Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

Al-Cu thin films were fabricated by RF magnetron sputtering from aluminum (Al) and copper (Cu) metal targets to improve the acoustic performance of SAW devices on LiNbO3 substrates. To optimize the electrode material for SAW devices, Al-Cu films with various compositions were fabricated and their electrical, mechanical, and acoustic properties were comprehensively evaluated. The Al-Cu films exhibited a gradual decrease in resistivity with increasing Al content. The double-electrode SAW devices composed of Al-Cu films demonstrated a resonant frequency of 70 MHz and an average insertion loss of −16.1 dB, which was significantly lower than that of devices made with traditional Au or Al electrodes. Additionally, the SAW devices showed an increase in the FWHM values of the resonant frequency and a decrease in the insertion loss as the Al content in the IDT electrode decreased. These findings indicate that improving the performance of SAW devices can be achieved by reducing the density of the IDT electrodes, rather than focusing solely on their electrical characteristics.

Impulse coupling enhancement of aluminum targets under laser irradiation in a soft polymer confined geometry

Laser pulses were applied to a target mounted on a ballistic pendulum to study the momentum imparted by a laser shock impact. Photonic Doppler Velocimetry was used to assess the momentum imparted by each laser pulse. To increase the momentum produced, a layer of polymer transparent to the laser wavelength was applied to the surface of the targets to confine the plasma generated as a result of the laser–matter interaction. This yielded momentum coupling coefficients one hundred times higher than those obtained for equivalent laser parameters in the classical direct regime configuration. The study was completed by simulating the experiments with the one-dimensional Lagrangian hydrodynamics code ESTHER, which showed good agreement with the experimental results.

Bonner sphere measurements of high-energy neutron spectra from a 1 GeV/u 56Fe ion beam on an aluminum target and comparison to spectra obtained by Monte Carlo simulations

The goal of this work is to characterize the secondary neutron spectra produced by 1 GeV/u56Fe beam colliding with a thick cylindric aluminum target and to perform a quantitative comparison with simulated results obtained with Monte Carlo codes. The measurements were performed using extended-range Bonner sphere spectrometers at two positions (15° and 40°) with respect to the beam direction. The secondary radiation field was simulated using four Monte Carlo codes (FLUKA, MCNP6, Geant4 and PHITS) and several physical models of nuclei transport and interaction. Neutron and proton energy distributions were simulated for the experimental measurement positions. The simulated neutron spectra, together with data measured with Bonner sphere spectrometers, after carrying out the correction of the contributions induced by the secondary protons, were used as input for the MAXED spectrum unfolding code to obtain the measured neutron spectra. Unfolded neutron spectra were compared with simulated ones to carry out a quantitative analysis of the performance of the chosen Monte Carlo codes and their corresponding physical models. This comparison showed that, because of experimental uncertainties and physical models, there are no unique solutions for each measurement location, but a range of solutions where the true experimental neutron spectra probably lie. The results showed deviations between 4.23% and 8.42% for some simulated spectra. Regarding the total integral values of neutron fluence and ambient equivalent dose, the unfolded neutron spectra showed deviations lower than 2%.

Reactive magnetron deposition of YAG:Ce phosphor coatings in the metallic mode

The possibility of YAG:Ce3+ coatings phosphor formation by reactive magnetron deposition during sputtering of metal targets in an atmosphere of argon and oxygen activated by a radio-frequency source of inductively coupled plasma has been studied. The installation consists of three middle-frequency magnetrons with Y, Al and Ce targets with power of 1000, 1570 and 150 W, respectively. The (Y–Al–O):Ce coatings were deposited in metal and oxide sputtering modes of yttrium and aluminium targets. The coating deposition rate on the planetary rotating substrates in the metallic sputtering mode reaches of 0.67 nm/s. This is about an order of magnitude higher compared to the oxide sputtering mode and the method of radio-frequency magnetron sputtering of ceramic targets commonly used to deposit such coatings.Characterization of the elemental and phase composition of the coatings showed the YAG:Ce crystal structure formation during annealing both in air at 1100 °C and in a nitrogen atmosphere at 1200 °C. Cathodo- and photoluminescent spectroscopy was used for study of YAG:Ce thin films emission properties. The emission properties of YAG:Ce correspond to the radiation transition in Ce3+ ions. It was found that the intensity of both types of luminescence turned out to be slightly higher for samples annealed in air. It enhanced with increasing coating thickness in the considered range from 1.8 to 7.0 μm. The suggested approach could be potentially used for luminescent coatings formation with high level of the emission properties.

Extreme ultraviolet laser ablation and time-of-flight mass spectrometry of gold, aluminum, and copper targets

Extreme ultraviolet laser ablation and time-of-flight mass spectrometry of gold, aluminum, and copper targets

Finite Element Simulation of Multi-Pass Rolling of a Pure Aluminum Target under Different Rolling Routes and Methods

By coordinating the rolling direction and mode, a multi-rolling plastic deformation process for an aluminum (Al) sputter target is proposed to achieve multiple excellent properties, including a uniform and fine grain structure and low defect risk, which are significant in producing high-quality sputtered films. In this work, therefore, DEFORM 3D 10.2 software is adopted to establish three strategies, clock-synchronous rolling, cross-synchronous rolling, and clock–snake rolling. The effect of different rolling routes and modes on the metal flow velocity (MFV), effective strain distribution (ESD), grain size distribution (GSD), damage, and rolling force (RF) are comparatively investigated. The simulation results show that clock–snake rolling can increase the MFV and effective strain by producing a deeper deformation than the others. It provides sufficient energy for dynamic recrystallization to promote grain refinement. In combination with the microstructure homogeneity promoted by the clock rolling route, the GSD from 6.5 to 44.3 μm accounts for about 80.5% of all the grains because of the fact that a randomly oriented grain region is full of high-angle grain boundaries. Compared with the synchronous rolling mode, the decrement in RF maximum reaches up to 51% during the asynchronous rolling process because component energy is consumed to form cross-sheering stress. It remarkably reduces the risk of defects, with a damage value of less than 73%, and simultaneously improves energy efficiency owing to smaller and uniform grains caused by less RF. The results obtained in this work are of great significance as they can guide practical production in the metal target industry.

Effects of ZrO2 ceramics doped with varying content on the mechanical properties and energy release characteristics of W-Zr alloys

A W-Zr alloy doped with ceramic powder W54.5Zr35-xNi6.7Fe3.3Mo0.5 (ZrO2) x was prepared by powder metallurgy. The effects of the ceramic content on the dynamic and static compressive mechanical behavior and energy release properties of the alloy were studied. The results showed that the addition of ceramics enhanced the energy release characteristics of the W-Zr alloy, and made the alloy break more thoroughly and the fragment cloud distribute evenly. The reaction delay time was shorter and the energy release reaction was more complete. However, the maximum temperature of the alloy reaction decreased. In addition, the addition of ceramics improves the mechanical properties of the material, and its compressive strength is much higher than that of traditional W-Zr alloys.(ZrO2)1 exhibited good mechanical behavior and energy release characteristics. The aftereffect damage performance was further verified using a ballistic gun experiment. Ballistic gun test results showed that (ZrO2) 1 can penetrate A92124 aluminum targets with a thickness of 2 mm at a speed of 809.3 m s−1 and ignite post-target absorbent cotton, with both penetration and post-target damage capabilities.

On working gas rarefaction in high power impulse magnetron sputtering

The ionization region model (IRM) is applied to explore working gas rarefaction in high power impulse magnetron sputtering discharges operated with graphite, aluminum, copper, titanium, zirconium, and tungsten targets. For all cases the working gas rarefaction is found to be significant, the degree of working gas rarefaction reaches values of up to 83%. The various contributions to working gas rarefaction, including electron impact ionization, kick-out by the sputtered species or hot argon atoms, and diffusion, are evaluated and compared for the different target materials, and over a range of discharge current densities. The relative importance of the various processes varies between different target materials. In the case of a graphite target with argon as the working gas at 1 Pa, electron impact ionization (by both primary and secondary electrons) is the dominating contributor to working gas rarefaction, with over 90% contribution, while the contribution of sputter wind kick-out is small <10 %. In the case of copper and tungsten targets, the kick-out dominates, with up to ∼60% contribution at 1 Pa. For metallic targets the kick-out is mainly due to metal atoms sputtered from the target, while for the graphite target the small kick-out contribution is mainly due to kick-out by hot argon atoms and to a smaller extent by carbon atoms. The main factors determining the relative contribution of the kick-out by the sputtered species to working gas rarefaction appear to be the sputter yield and the working gas pressure.

Spatially resolved optical emission analysis of spokes in HiPIMS utilising Al, Cr, Cu, Ti, and W targets

Investigating spokes in high-power impulse magnetron sputtering discharge requires non-invasive diagnostic methods to characterise accurately spoke properties. A fast photodiode and a cylindrical Langmuir probe were employed to synchronise the moment of acquisition of the optical emission spectrum with the position of a passing spoke. This study provides statistical data analysis to bring insights into spoke characteristics in a non-reactive argon atmosphere, employing aluminium, chromium, copper, titanium, and tungsten targets. Utilising different target materials, the objective is to describe basic parameters such as shape, length, and propagation velocity of spokes and also analyse spoke inner parameters such as floating potential and spectral emission, under nearly identical experimental conditions. From the optical emission, the most prominent species within the spoke were determined. Additionally, the mechanism governing spoke movement was described using a phenomenological model.

Using Hydrodynamic Similarity as a Verification Method for Impact Cratering Simulations in the FLAG Hydrocode

Hydrodynamic codes (hydrocodes) are common tools for modeling hypervelocity impacts to provide insight into the physical phenomenon. Hydrocodes can simulate impacts from micrometer to kilometer spatial scales and reach impact velocities difficult to achieve in experimental settings. However, numerical models are approximations, and demonstrating that a numerical method is capable of providing physical results for these models is essential. In this work, we employ a hydrocode verification technique that leverages hydrodynamic similarity, a mathematical property of the conservation equations of fluid mechanics that form the basis for hydrocode models. Using the FLAG hydrocode, we simulate aluminum (Al) and basalt projectiles and targets at spatial scales spanning 7 orders of magnitude (hundreds of micrometers to kilometers). These materials were chosen because Al-6061 is a common material in spacecraft and satellites and basalt is a useful approximation of rocky astronomical bodies. Our results show that hydrodynamic similarity holds for each material model used and across spatial scales. We show that under certain conditions hydrodynamic similarity can apply in the presence of gravity and that similarity does not hold in the presence of strength models. We conclude that the FLAG hydrocode preserves important mathematical properties of fluid dynamics in hypervelocity impacts of Al-6061 and basalt.

Effects of Beam Mode on Hole Properties in Laser Processing

The laser beam mode affects the power density distribution on the irradiated target, directly influencing the product quality in laser processing, especially the hole quality in laser drilling. The Gaussian beam shape, Mexican-Hat beam shape, Double-Hump beam shape, and Top-Hat beam shape are four typical laser beam modes used as a laser heat source and introduced into our proficient laser-drilling model, which involves complex physical phenomena such as heat and mass transfer, solid/liquid/gas phase changes, and two-phase flow. Simulations were conducted on an aluminum target, and the accuracy was verified using experimental data. The results of the simulations for the fundamental understanding of this laser–material interaction are presented in this paper; in particular, the hole shape, including the depth–diameter ratio and the angle of the cone, as well as spatter phenomena and, thus, the formed recast layer, are compared and analyzed in detail in this paper. This study can provide a reference for the optimization of the laser-drilling process, especially the selection of laser beam mode.

Damage characteristic of electronic devices caused by products generated by Al/Ep/KMnO4/TiH2 active material projectile hypervelocity impacting on aluminum target

As the space environment becomes more competitive, space offense and defense are increasing every day. Projectiles made of reactive materials can achieve highly effective target destruction due to their good penetration, ignition and detonation capabilities as the kill element in space attacks. When a spacecraft encounters a hypervelocity impact from a projectile of active material, it will have a serious impact on the surface material and internal electronics (logic chips, super-capacitors, etc.), leading to anomalies in the spacecraft's on-orbit operation. In order to study the damage characteristics of internal typical logic chips and super-capacitor modules caused by the hypervelocity impact of active material projectiles on the surface of spacecraft, the simulated satellite experiment of Al/Ep/KMnO4/TiH2 active material projectiles hypervelocity impacting on aluminum target was performed. By using the self-built experimental loading system, plasma characteristic parameter diagnosis system, radiation temperature measurement system and electronic device function detection system, the characteristic parameters of plasma, light flash radiation temperature, temperature evolution process of logic chip and super-capacitor at specific position under different impact velocities are obtained. When the damage behavior of Al/Ep/KMnO4/TiH2 active material projectile impacts on the surface of simulated satellite, the main reasons affecting electronic devices and the damage characteristics of impact products on logic chip and super-capacitor are analyzed. The experimental results show that the plasma is the main reason for interfering with the operation of logic chips and super-capacitors. When the active material projectile impacts the simulated satellite at the speed of 1.26 km/s, 1.67 km/s and 2.13 km/s, the charge and discharge time of the super-capacitor increases by 3.28 times, 4.57 times and 6 times, respectively, and the maximum operating voltage performance decreases by 12.23%, 14.44% and 18.15%, respectively. When the impact velocities are 1.67 km/s and 2.13 km/s, the output signal of the CD74HC00 chip appears transient damage due to the injection of the plasma generated by the impact, which last 0.4 ms and 1.8 ms, respectively.

Impulse coupling measurement of metallic and carbon targets during laser ablation through ballistic pendulum experiments and simulations

Laser ablation propulsion and orbit cleaning are developing areas of research. The general aim of laser-based techniques applied to this field is to maximize the momentum transfer produced by a laser shot. This work presents results from ballistic pendulum experiments under vacuum on aluminum, copper, tin, gold, and porous graphite targets. The work has focused on the metrology of the laser experiments to ensure good stability over a wide range of laser parameters (laser intensity ranging from 4 GW/cm2 to 8.7 TW/cm2, pulse duration from 80 ps to 15 ns, and wavelengths of 528 or 1057 nm). The results presented compile data from three experimental campaigns spanning from 2018 to 2021 on two different laser platforms and using different pulse durations, energies, and wavelengths. The study is complemented by the simulation of the momentum from the mono-dimensional Lagrangian code ESTHER. The first part of this work gives a detailed description of the experimental setup used, the ESTHER code, and the treatment of the simulations. The second part focuses on the experimental results. The third part describes the simulation results and provides a comparison with the experimental data. The last part presents possible improvements for future work on the subject.

Trajectory prediction of rigid projectile for oblique penetration into multi-layer aluminum targets

Multi-layer targets and nonideal initial conditions significantly increase the complexity of penetration trajectory prediction. To address this issue, a general multi-layer target trajectory model was developed based on expanding spherical cavity in layered finite targets, comprising the wake separation and finite free-surface effects. The trajectory prediction model adopted the developed geometric description of the ogive- and conical-nosed projectiles, combined with the proposed transfer functions and plane motion equation. Experiments of the two types projectiles penetration into layered 2A12 aluminum targets were conducted, and the actual projectile trajectories in targets were obtained through the section scan method. The predicted trajectories aligned well with the experimental data within the application range. The layering effect considerably influences the projectile trajectories impacting at higher velocities and oblique angles. More layers reduce the resistance of the targets, increasing the penetration but reducing the angle deflection of the trajectory performance. Compared with the ogive projectile, the conical projectile exhibited a deeper penetration and improved anti-deflection capabilities. This preliminary study on penetration trajectory characteristics of multi-layer targets provides experimental and theoretical support for correcting penetration trajectories.

Using double pulse laser ablation in air to enhance the strength of laser-driven shocks

In the process of multi-pulse laser ablation, inter-pulse delay time, Δt, is known to be an important parameter for maximizing ablation efficiency as well as impulse imparted to the target. In this work, using photon Doppler velocimetry, we show that for single pairs of colinear pulses (1064 nm, 8 ns, ∼ 60 J cm-2 per pulse) in air, the peak free surface velocity of the back surface of an aluminum target (125 µm thick) is increased, by a factor of nearly 3, when Δt = 10 microseconds, compared with both pulses arriving simultaneously (Δt = 0). Fast imaging of the ablation process suggests this enhancement is due to rarefaction of the contiguous air in the passage of the leading shock produced by ablation, which then in turn allows a larger fraction of the energy of the second pulse to reach the target surface. This interpretation is strengthened by additional experiments in which the two pulses do not overlap on the target surface, but the shock strength is nevertheless enhanced. Given a fixed energy budget this work suggests a prescription for maximizing laser-driven shock strength by judicious choice of inter-pulse delay.

Multiple energy X-ray imaging of metal oxide particles inside gingival tissues.

Periodontal disease affects over 50% of the global population and is characterized by gingivitis as the initial sign. One dental health issue that may contribute to the development of periodontal disease is foreign body gingivitis (FBG), which can result from exposure to some kinds of foreign metal particles from dental products or food. We design a novel, portable, affordable, multispectral X-ray and fluorescence optical microscopic imaging system dedicated to detecting and differentiating metal oxide particles in dental pathological tissues. A novel denoising algorithm is applied. We verify the feasibility and optimize the performance of the imaging system with numerical simulations. The designed imaging system has a focused X-ray tube with tunable energy spectra and thin scintillator coupled with an optical microscope as detector. A simulated soft tissue phantom is embedded with 2-micron thick metal oxide discs as the imaged object. GATE software is used to optimize the systematic parameters such as energy bandwidth and X-ray photon number. We have also applied a novel denoising method, Noise2Sim with a two-layer UNet structure, to improve the simulated image quality. The use of an X-ray source operating with an energy bandwidth of 5 keV, X-ray photon number of 108, and an X-ray detector with a 0.5 micrometer pixel size in a 100 by 100-pixel array allowed for the detection of particles as small as 0.5 micrometer. With the Noise2Sim algorithm, the CNR has improved substantially. A typical example is that the Aluminum (Al) target's CNR is improved from 6.78 to 9.72 for the case of 108 X-ray photons with the Chromium (Cr) source of 5 keV bandwidth. Different metal oxide particles were differentiated using Contrast-to-Noise ratio (CNR) by utilizing four different X-ray spectra.