Siliconization of Molybdenum Using Glow Discharge Method

In the first application of a low-Z protective material to a fusion reactor, a thin layer of silicon film was deposited on molybdenum samples at room temperature using a mixture of silane and He gas (90 % He+10 % SiH4) using a glow discharge method. Siliconization was conducted for 170 min with the gas pressure of 4–6 ×10-2 torr. The DC power supply parameters were as follows, the anode voltage of 500–600 V and the current of 190-210 mA. The films have been characterized using scanning electron microscopy, EDX, X-ray diffraction, FTIR, and AFM. SEM images show that the silicon coating covers the entire surface smooth, and there is no boundary for granulation. Based on AFM measurements, the coating thickness was estimated to be 450 nm. This study used FTIR to detect the Si-O-Si tensile vibrations and the Si-H tensile vibrations.