Ultrathick Boron Carbide Coatings

Executive Summary

We will demonstrate the deposition of ultrathick boron carbide films on both planar and spherical substrates in order to enable a new inertial confinement fusion ablator platform, as well as high-energy-density physics experiments currently beyond our capabilities. This research may also impact the manufacture of technologies that incorporate boron carbide, including nuclear reactor components, radiation detectors, and ballistic armor.

Publications, Presentations, and Patents

A. M. Engwall, L. B. Bayu Aji, S. J. Shin, P. B. Mirkarimi, J. H. Bae, and S. O. Kucheyev, “Sputter-deposited low-stress boron carbide films,” J. Appl. Phys. 128, 175301 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0022191.

S. J. Shin, L. B. Bayu Aji, J. H. Bae, A. M. Engwall, M. H. Nielsen, J. A. Hammons, X. B. Zuo, B. Lee, X. Lepro, P. B. Mirkarimi, and S. O. Kucheyev, “Oblique angle deposition of boron carbide films by magnetron sputtering,” J. Appl. Phys. 130, 125305 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0056849.