Formation of NiAl Shape Memory Alloy Thin Films by a Solid-State Reaction
NiAl shape memory alloy thin films have been fabricated by a solid-state reaction in Al/Ni bilayer films. Two kinds of synthesis have been used. The first one consists in heating an Al/Ni bilayer film system to temperatures above 480 K. The second one implies the successive deposition of nickel and aluminum films onto a substrate with a temperature above 480 K. Regardless of a kind of the solid-state synthesis, the films obtained reveal a two-way shape memory effect. It is supposed that the solid-state reaction in Al/Ni bilayers starts at a temperature AS of the reverse of the martensitic transition in NiAl alloy. This indicates that the NiAl shape memory alloy thin films can be formed directly during the synthesis without need for lengthy heat treatment.