A Simpler, Low-Cost Route to High-Entropy Alloy Films: Kanazawa University’s Laser Deposition Breakthrough

Laser deposition process for high-entropy alloy film production

A collaborative team led by Kanazawa University has developed an innovative and cost-effective approach to producing high-entropy alloy (HEA) films — materials known for their extraordinary strength, corrosion resistance, and thermal stability. The new technique eliminates the need for costly alloy targets traditionally required in deposition processes, replacing them with a simple yet effective system that uses multiple pure-metal segments in a rotating target configuration.

The research, published in Optics & Laser Technology, marks an important milestone in the scalable manufacturing of HEA thin films. The team demonstrated how their process, based on pulsed laser deposition (PLD), can create robust and uniform alloy coatings on a variety of surfaces, offering new possibilities for aerospace, automotive, energy, and biomedical applications.

Reinventing High-Entropy Alloy Production

High-entropy alloys — complex materials typically composed of five or more metallic elements in nearly equal proportions — have become a frontier of materials science. Their unusual atomic arrangements generate a “cocktail effect” that produces remarkable mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties, far surpassing those of conventional alloys. However, producing high-quality HEA thin films has remained costly and technically challenging due to the need for pre-made alloy targets.

The Kanazawa-led team, which included researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad and the University of Strathclyde (UK), found a way to simplify the process. Their method replaces the expensive, homogeneous alloy targets with a rotating multicomponent target made of individual pure metals. When irradiated with laser pulses, each segment releases atoms that deposit on the substrate surface — forming a perfectly blended alloy film.

From Surface Deposition to Subsurface Integration

Unlike conventional coating techniques that simply deposit atoms onto a surface, this approach also drives atomic implantation beneath the substrate’s surface layer. This dual mechanism — combining surface deposition and subsurface diffusion — results in stronger bonding between the film and the underlying material. The result is a durable, uniform HEA coating that integrates seamlessly with the substrate, improving adhesion and mechanical resilience.

By adjusting the background gas pressure during deposition, the team could precisely control film thickness, composition, and diffusion depth. This tunability makes the process adaptable for both ultra-thin coatings and thicker protective layers, broadening its potential across multiple industrial sectors.

Why High-Entropy Alloys Matter

Since their introduction in the early 2000s, high-entropy alloys have captured enormous attention for their exceptional strength-to-weight ratios, high temperature resistance, and superior oxidation stability. Their versatility makes them ideal candidates for turbine components, fusion reactors, corrosion-resistant coatings, and advanced medical implants.

However, traditional synthesis routes — such as arc melting, mechanical alloying, or sputtering from complex alloy targets — are expensive, time-consuming, and limited in scalability. The new laser deposition method addresses these bottlenecks by offering a low-cost, modular, and highly controllable alternative. It enables researchers and manufacturers to produce custom HEA films from simple raw materials without relying on specialized alloy targets.

A Collaborative Breakthrough

The study was led by Professors Yoji Miyajima and Kazuhiro Ishikawa from Kanazawa University’s School of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Science and Engineering, alongside graduate students Hiroki Minowa and Daisuke Tanada. International collaborators included Professor Pinaki Prasad Bhattacharjee (IIT Hyderabad) and Dr. Stephen M. Lyth (University of Strathclyde). Together, their efforts produced a technique that combines experimental precision with real-world industrial relevance.

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed that the films exhibit uniform elemental distribution across the surface and throughout the depth profile. This uniformity ensures predictable performance, which is crucial for applications in harsh environments such as high-speed turbines or chemical reactors.

Industrial and Environmental Implications

Because the method is compatible with various substrates — including metals, ceramics, and polymers — it can be adapted to different production lines. The researchers envision its use in creating coatings that impart heat resistance, oxidation protection, and corrosion resistance to everyday industrial components. In the long term, this could help reduce material waste, extend component lifetimes, and lower maintenance costs across industries.

Importantly, this innovation aligns with the goals of sustainable manufacturing. By eliminating the need for pre-alloyed targets and minimizing raw material waste, the process offers both economic and environmental advantages — potentially making high-performance coatings more accessible to smaller manufacturers and research institutions.

Looking Ahead

The next steps involve scaling the process for larger-area substrates and exploring the use of machine learning and AI algorithms to predict optimal deposition parameters for specific alloy compositions. Similar concepts could also be applied to develop high-entropy ceramics or oxides, opening up new pathways for multifunctional materials that combine electrical, magnetic, and mechanical functionalities.

As the global race for advanced materials intensifies, innovations like this cost-effective HEA film production method exemplify how laser processing and materials engineering are converging to create the next generation of high-performance surfaces and components.

Original article: https://phys.org/news/2025-08-effective-method-high-entropy-alloy.html
DOI: 10.1016/j.optlastec.2025.113381

This article on Quantum Server Networks was prepared with the assistance of advanced AI technologies to enhance clarity, structure, and SEO optimization for readers in the field of materials science and engineering.

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