Ion Beam Treatment for Metal Matrix Composites

New materials such as continuous fiber reinforced aluminum matrix composites exceptional performance, but often at the expense of incompatibility with conventional joining techniques. Spacecraft structures require high stiffness for stable structures and launch vibration resistance, as well as low outgassing characteristics, especially when cryogenic sensors are in use on the spacecraft. Solutions such as epoxies are notorious outgassers. Ion beam enhanced deposition offers a means for overcoming these difficulties. By bonding an easy-to-join material such as copper to the surface of a difficult-to-join material, it is then possible to easily braze or diffusion bond the materials using standard techniques. Benefits: Commercial applications include spacecraft structures and heat-sinking electronics, especially high power density chips, composite structural components and other technologies. We see the electronics heat sinking application as the number one commercial objective due to high power density chips which are expected to hit the commercial electronics industry within the next two years.|