Effect of powerful pulsed and continuous ion beams on the Al-Cu-Mg alloy structure

Abstract

The paper considers the results of an electron microscopy study of the VD1 alloy of the Al-Cu-Mg system after cold working and subsequent irradiation with a powerful pulsed ion beam (70% C[+] + 30% H[+], Е=180 keV) in the pulsed-periodic mode ([tau] = 80 ns, f = 0.1 Hz, j = 200 A/cm{2}, F = 1·10{14} cm{-2}) and under the conditions of the generation of only one pulse ([tau] = 180 ns, j = 100 A/cm{2}, F = 2·10{15} cm{-2}). It is established that this irradiation noticeably affects the microstructure of the cold-worked 3 mm thick sheets of VD1 alloy. The initial cellular dislocation structure transforms into a subgrain one. The intensity of structural transformations in the alloy increases with ion current density of a pulse. A similar transformation of a dislocation structure over the entire thickness of the sample is observed under irradiation with continuous Ar{+} ion beams (Е = 20-40 keV) with not high fluences (10{15}-10{16} cm{-2}).