The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

Plasma nitriding

2002

Dear sir,

I have a magnetron sputtering facility. By using the chamber I want to nitride some small samples (30 mm dia and 5-8 mm thick). The chamber is 600mm in dia and 650mm in height. I want know actually about the power supply for this system. I have two magnetron power supplies (Advanced Energy MDX 5 KW). The maximum voltage that can be applied through this power supply is around 600 voltage. But for sustaining the dc plasma as substrates are cathode, it needs more voltage. I saw in most of the technical papers to use the pulsed power supply.Could someone tell me what kind power supply I need and where can I get that? Can I use the existing power supply for nitriding?

Thanks for your time.

Julfikar Haider
Dublin City university - Dublin, Ireland

---

You're not providing enough information to answer your question. What is the material that you want to nitride? How deep an effect are you looking for? What temperature are you planning to nitride at?

Jim Treglio - scwineryreview.com
PVD Consultant & Wine Lover - San Diego,
California
2002

---

The voltage you need to plasma nitride the substrate will depend on the gas used and the pressure in the chamber. What pressure are you trying now? You may need to increase the pressure in the chamber to achieve a glow discharge for nitriding at a lower pressure. Pulsing could help nitriding the surface but typically the pulsing power supplies don't go above 600 or 1000V (depending on the power supply) either.

John Davis
- Berthoud, Colorado, USA
2002

---

March 1, 2012

Dear sir,
I want to know how the glow starts, I mean the nitrogen conducting current with DC volts or pulsating supply.
While we use this gas as inert gas in control atmosphere furnace (in which the heating elements are inside the chamber "live"), if N2 gas is conducting then it should short the heaters or increase in amperage (load) although heating or cooling the furnace. But nothing happened like this.

How does the N2 conduct electricity and we can get glow?

Zahid Amin
- Lahore, Pakistan