Formation of Ti‐B surface alloys by excimer laser mixing

We have formed a surface Ti‐B alloy by excimer laser mixing of a single B layer on a Ti‐6Al‐4V alloy substrate. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy indicates a B:Ti ratio of approximately 0.54 in the surface layer. A Boron layer 60 nm thick resulted in an alloy layer approximately 150 nm thick. There is little indication, by either Auger electron spectroscopy or nuclear reaction analysis, of substantial oxygen incorporation in the surface alloy despite the fact that the processing was done in air. Transmission electron microscopy of the surface alloy shows an amorphous surface layer on top of a martensitic structure.