Deposition and thermal diffusion of borides and carbides of refractory metals

摘要

The invention provides a substantially uniform layer of a boride or a carbide of a refractory metal metallurgically bonded on a substrate of a workpiece. A layer of the refractory metal is deposited on the substrate. At least one of the elements boron and carbon is deposited from a source other than the workpiece on the workpiece having the refractory metal layer. The workpiece is heated at a temperature and for a time period sufficient to diffuse at least a portion of the deposited refractory metal into the substrate and at least a portion of the deposited boron or carbon into the refractory metal layer and the substrate to form a substantially uniform layer of the boride or carbide of the refractory metal metallurgically bonded on the substrate.