Physicomechanical properties of the surface of a zirconium alloy modified by a pulsed ion beam

The physicomechanical properties of the surface of the Zr-1% Nb zirconium alloy modified by a pulsed carbon ion beam with a pulse duration of 80 ns, an energy of 200 keV, and a current density of 120 A/cm$^2$ are studied at four regimes having different numbers of pulses. Irradiation by a carbon ion beam results in hardening of the surface layer to a depth of 2 $\mu$m, grain refinement to 0.15–0.8 $\mu$m, zirconium carbide formation, and a decrease in the hydrogen permeability of the zirconium alloy.