Active species in microwave postdischarge for steel-surface nitriding

Production of nitrogen atoms has been studied in a 2.45-GHz flowing postdischarge in N₂ and N₂-H₂ gas mixtures with Ar as a buffer gas in the high-pressure regime (5×10³ to 6.5×10⁴ Pa). N atom densities have been measured by NO titration in the 10¹⁴-10 ¹⁵ cm³ range and monitored by the first positive emission resulting from the N atom recombination. The rate coefficient of the N+N+N₂ recombination has been found to be _k=6×10^-33 cm⁶ atom^-2 s ^-1 at T₀=300 K, which agrees with previously published data. The N atom production (or degree of N/N₂ dissociation) in front of an Fe-0.1%C substrate correlates well with the thickness of a γ´ Fe₄N layer produced by the postdischarge treatment. The H₂ gas was first introduced in the initial phase of treatment to remove surface oxidizing and then was cut off to keep high densities of N atoms. It is deduced that N atoms are more active nitriding species than NH-type radicals