Condition of Surface of Titanium after Pulsed X-ray Exposure

Abstract

The effect of the pulsed soft X-ray flux on the topography of surface the VТ 1-0 titanium alloy has been studied. The radiation energy density on the surface of the sample is ~10 J/cm² for one pulse. It is found that a corrugated topography is formed on the surface of titanium as a result of melting followed by freezing: a cellular- or mesh-type topography is formed after one X-ray pulse, the mesh-type topography becomes more sharply defined after two pulses, and the surface of titanium is melted and the mesh structure is almost invisible after three pulses. Crater-like defects are not found, but small cracks are formed on the surface of titanium after melting caused by pulsed X-ray exposure followed by fast cooling of the molten metal.