Patent ID: 6361628
Filing Date: 2002-03-26
Classification: C23C

Abstract:
A process for modifying the composition of a solid metal product by incorporating at least one modifying substance to said metal product, said process comprisingmoving said solid metal product in the form of a continuous strip through a vacuum chamber, said metal product having a first composition, applying said at least one modifying substance to at least one side of the strip, while the strip is moved through the vacuum chamber, said applying step comprising at least one plasma discharge, plasma annealing said strip in the vacuum chamber, at a strip temperature high enough to allow incorporation by diffusion of the at least one applied modifying substance into the solid metal product, but below the melting point of said solid metal product, and holding said strip temperature so as to obtain said diffusion from said at least one side of the strip up to the core thereof, while so producing a metal product having a second composition.