It works by placing the workpieces inside a vacuum chamber. Nitrogen is introduced in combination with other gases. Applying a direct current high voltage between the workpiece (cathode) and the walls of the chamber (anode).

The ionic bombarding begins or discharge the characteristic brilliant of the process. The ionized nitrogen atom perpendicularly and uniformly bombards the surface of our workpiece , it cleanses it and is absorbed by the steel throughout its section.

The surface of the workpiece is exposed to reactive ion etching forming an intermetallic composition of Fe + N, underlying one nitrogen diffusion zone.