Plasma diagnostics of pulsed d.c. glow discharge combined with ICP for deep nitriding process
A deep nitriding system was designed to increase the plasma density using dual plasma source and consisted of a pulsed d.c.
and r.f. Ž13.56 MHz.. A pulsed d.c. glow discharge combined with inductively coupled plasma ŽICP. has been characterized by
optical emission spectroscopy ŽOES. in the r.f. power range of 4001000 W and pressure between 400 and 800 Pa. For the
nitrided AISI 4140 steel at a r.f. power of 900 W, pressure of 700 Pa and cathode voltage of 550 V, the case hardening depth is
approximately 1.6 times deeper than that obtained without ICP and the compound layer is slightly thickened as the r.f. power is
increased. The increasing trends of normalized intensities of N2 Ž337.1 nm. and N2 Ž393.4 nm. are similar as the increasing trend
of the nitriding case depth with r.f. power. The roles of ICP to enlarge the nitriding depth will be discussed. 2001 Elsevier
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