Method and Apparatus for Ablative Bonding Using a Pulsed Electron Beam

摘要

A method and apparatus for bonding a layer of coating or cladding material onto asubstrate with minimal bulk heating of the substrate. A pulsed electron beam generator is used to produce high energy electrons at the beginning of the pulse and a larger number of lower energy electrons at the end of the pulse. A thin sacrificial or ablative layer of an easily-vaporized material such as tin is placed on top the coating. The high energy electrons penetrate through the ablative and coating layers and heat the coating-substrate interface. The ablative layer is then heated by the low energy electrons to a much higher temperature, causing it to vaporize. The ablation process generates a force on the coating layer which drives it into the substrate.