Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
Large changes in the distributions of alloying components have been observed in a wide variety of alloys during ion bombardment. This metastable, radiation-induced segregation (RIS) results from the preferential transport of alloying components by defect fluxes. Since the number of radiationinduced defects can exceed the number of implanted ions by several orders of magnitude, RIS can be highly efficient in modifying near-surface alloy compositions. In this paper, the general features of RIS are described. Aspects which are pertinent to the modification of materials by ion beams are emphasized. Examples are given of surface modifications which utilize RIS effects.