Mossbauer Study of the Role of Aluminum and Chromium in Nitrogen Implanted Iron

The role of alloying elements such as Cr and Al in the formation and stability of the nitride phases formed due to N ion implantation into metallic iron was studied by conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy (CEMS). The thermal stability of nitride phases upon 1 h annealing was greatly increased as a result of co-implanting either Cr or Al with N as compared to pure α-Fe implanted only with N.