Light emission from oxygen covered Al and Cu surfaces

Ion beam induced light emission is used to investigate the sputtering yield, S_O, of oxygen atoms on the surfaces of a polycrystalline copper and an Al(1 1 1) target. Under Ar⁺ and Ne⁺ ion bombardment of Al(1 1 1) and polycrystalline copper targets, spectral lines of Cu I and Al I emitting from sputtered excited atoms are measured as a function of the oxygen partial pressure, wavelength and beam energy. The light emission for two Al I lines (3082 and 3962 Å) and Cu I lines (3247 and 3274 Å) are proportional to the oxygen partial pressure (1×10⁻⁴ Torr). Above 2×10⁻⁴ Torr, the light intensities start to decrease which is consistent with other measurements. From saturated-oxygen covered target surfaces, light intensities of Al I and Cu I lines are measured as a function of time and oxygen partial pressures. The sputtering yields could be determined from the curves of spectral lines directly. For 10 and 20 keV Ar⁺ ions bombarding the copper surface, the oxygen sputtering yields are 0.34 and 0.22 (atoms/ion), respectively. The same copper target was bombarded by Ne⁺ ions at 5 and 10 keV, the oxygen sputtering yields are 0.87 and 0.59, respectively. For 10, 15, and 20 keV Ar⁺ bombarding an Al(1 1 1) target, the obtained sputtering yields are 0.44, 0.31, and 0.2 (atoms/ion), respectively.     

Neutralization rate for slow Ar ions in front of KCl(0 0 1)

Charge state distributions of reflected ions are measured when 5 keV Ar^q+(q = 0−2) ions are incident on a clean KCl(0 0 1) surface at grazing angle, θ_i. Although the charge state distribution does not depend on the incident charge state at larger θ_i, significant dependence of the charge state distribution on incident charge state is observed at smaller θ_i. The ionization of Ar⁰ is completely suppressed at θ_i < 20 mrad, while large neutralization probability is observed for Ar⁺ incidence. These features allow us to derive the position-dependent neutralization rate of Ar⁺ in front of KCl(0 0 1). The obtained neutralization rate decreases exponentially with distance from the surface as it is usually assumed.     

Inelastic processes in Ne collisions with a Mg surface; charge fractions and surface roughness

Results of a study of inelastic scattering in Ne⁺ collisions with a polycrystalline Mg target, performed by measurements of charge fractions, are reported. In agreement with previous studies, ion production is found to be due to binary collisions with surface atoms and the charge fractions can be well described by a simple exponential dependence on the perpendicular velocity in the outgoing trajectory. This is also shown to be the case for Ar⁺ collisions. Charge fractions and angular distributions of scattered particles are strongly affected by surface roughness effects.     

Temperature dependence of the chemical sputtering of amorphous hydrogenated carbon films by hydrogen

The temperature dependence of chemical erosion and chemical sputtering of amorphous hydrogenated carbon films due to exposure to hydrogen atoms (H⁰) alone and combined exposure to argon ions and H⁰ was measured in the temperature range from 110 to 950 K. The chemical erosion yield for H⁰ alone is below the detection limit for temperatures below about 340 K. It increases strongly with increasing temperature, goes through a maximum around 650–700 K and decreases again for higher temperatures. Combined exposure to Ar⁺ and H⁰ results in substantial chemical sputtering yields in the temperature range below 340 K. In this range the yield does not depend on temperature, but it increases with energy from about 1 (eroded carbon atoms per impinging Ar⁺ ion) to about 4 if the ion energy is increased from 50 to 800 eV. For temperatures above 340 K the measured erosion rates show the same temperature dependence as for the H⁰-only case, but they are higher than for H⁰-only. The difference between the Ar⁺ and H⁰ and the H⁰-only cases increases monotonically with increasing ion energy.     

Broadening effects in Auger neutralization of 130–430 eV Ar ions at Al surfaces

We present a model for electron emission from Al surfaces by Auger neutralization of 130–430 eV Ar⁺ ions, that includes the singular response of the metal conduction band to the abrupt change of the surface potential caused by electron capture by the incident ion. This effect, previously identified in X-ray studies, produces a broadening that plays a significant role in reproducing the higher energy part of the experimental electron kinetic energy distributions.     

Charge transfer in grazing scattering on clean and oxygen covered Cu(1 1 0) surfaces: velocity effects

We have measured negative (F⁻) and positive (Na⁺, Li⁺) charge fractions produced by grazing scattering from the corrugated metallic Cu(1 1 0) surface. A wide range of incident energies and scattered angles were explored in order to analyse the effects of the parallel and perpendicular velocities of the projectiles on the charge transfer process. The obtained dependences of F⁻ formation and of Na⁺ and Li⁺ neutralization with the parallel velocity are in good agreement with previous experimental and theoretical studies, which incorporate parallel velocity effects via the “shifted Fermi sphere” model. The surface structure is then modified by adsorption of oxygen. The dependence of charge fractions with oxygen adsorption and the effects of velocity in the case of the Cu–O surface are analysed.     

Low-energy ion scattering and sputtering at grazing ion bombardment of clean and oxygen covered Ag(1 1 0) surface

The ion scattering and sputtering processes at low energy grazing N⁺ and Ne⁺ ion bombardment of clean and oxygen covered Ag(1 1 0) surface have been investigated by computer simulation in the binary collision approximation.

The spatial, angular and energy distributions of scattered, sputtered particles and desorbed molecules of oxygen as well as their yields versus the angle of incidence have been calculated. In these distributions the some characteristic peaks were observed and analysed. It was found that an adsorption layer plays a role of the additional surface barrier, i.e. it reflects leaving target atoms back to crystal. The azimuth angular dependencies of Ag sputtering yield and non-dissociative O₂ desorption yield at grazing incidence have been calculated. It was shown that these dependencies correlate the crystal orientation.     

X-ray yields from high-energy heavy ions channeled through a crystal: their crystal thickness and projectile dependences

X-rays emitted from Ar¹⁷⁺, Fe²⁴⁺ and Kr³⁵⁺ ions of about 400 MeV/u transmitting through a thin Si crystal of about 20 μm thickness have been measured in a planar channeling condition and compared with those in a random incident condition. We have found that the X-ray yield from Ar¹⁷⁺ ions is larger for the channeling condition than for the random incidence, while those from Fe²⁴⁺ and Kr³⁵⁺ ions are rather smaller. Such tendencies are explained by considering the projectile dependences of excitation and ionization probabilities together with X-ray emission rates. A crude simulation has qualitatively reproduced these experimental results. When the crystal thickness is small, the X-ray yield is smaller in the channeling condition than in the random incident condition, because excitation is depressed. However, for thicker crystals, the X-ray yield is larger, since the survived population of projectile-bound electrons is larger due to small ionization probabilities under the channeling condition. This inversion occurs at a specific crystal thickness depending on projectile species. Whether the thickness of the used crystal is smaller or larger than the inversion thickness determines enhancement or depression of the X-ray yield in the channeling condition.     

He scattering on a TiO2(1 1 0) surface

We present measurements of energy-losses and neutralisation of helium ions on a TiO₂(1 1 0) surface at low keV energies. Measurements were performed in the 1–4 keV energy range. The target azimuthal orientation dependence of total scattering intensity profiles, energy-losses and probability of electron capture or loss were determined. On the basis of Marlowe simulations it is concluded that ion scattering intensities give indications about defects regarding surface bridging O atoms. Variations in energy losses for different scattering directions are reported. Ion fraction measurements were made using both incident ions and neutrals. Similar ion fractions were found indicating that He is efficiently neutralised and ions result from reionisation. These ion fractions are found to depend on the azimuthal orientation and have a minimum along the main crystallographic directions.     

Surface morphology of the Ar ion-irradiated Ag/Si(1 1 1) system

In the present study, a 500 Å thin Ag film was deposited by thermal evaporation on 5% HF etched Si(1 1 1) substrate at a chamber pressure of 8×10⁻⁶ mbar. The films were irradiated with 100 keV Ar⁺ ions at room temperature (RT) and at elevated temperatures to a fluence of 1×10¹⁶ cm⁻² at a flux of 5.55×10¹² ions/cm²/s. Surface morphology of the Ar ion-irradiated Ag/Si(1 1 1) system was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A percolation network pattern was observed when the film was irradiated at 200°C and 400°C. The fractal dimension of the percolated pattern was higher in the sample irradiated at 400°C compared to the one irradiated at 200°C. The percolation network is still observed in the film thermally annealed at 600°C with and without prior ion irradiation. The fractal dimension of the percolated pattern in the sample annealed at 600°C was lower than in the sample post-annealed (irradiated and then annealed) at 600°C. All these observations are explained in terms of self-diffusion of Ag atoms on the Si(1 1 1) substrate, inter-diffusion of Ag and Si and phase formations in Ag and Si due to Ar ion irradiation.     

Path dependence of the charge state distributions of low-energy F ions backscattered from RbI(1 0 0)

Projectile neutralization during backscattering from RbI(1 0 0) of F multicharged ions in the keV energy range was investigated utilizing a time-of-flight technique. The energy and charge state distributions of the scattered ions were measured as a function of the polar incidence angle and the target azimuthal orientation. We found significant variations in the neutralization degree for incident projectiles of different charge states. The charge state distribution of scattered ions, including negative charge states, was found to depend on both the polar incidence and azimuthal orientation angles. These variations are attributed to the particular hard and soft encounters with neighboring lattice sites at the target surface along the path of the ion. Sample data for few-keV F²⁺ and F⁷⁺ incident projectiles are presented to illustrate the underlying concepts.     

Effects of ion irradiation on cobalt nanocomposite

The effects of ion irradiation of 3-dimensional arrays of Co nanoparticles were investigated. Arrays were obtained by electron beam deposition of 15 Co/SiO₂ bilayers 0.5 and 20 nm thick, respectively. The Co layers consist of Co nanoparticles 3.2 nm in diameter with a standard deviation of 16%. Irradiation was carried out using combinations of 150 kV Ar²⁺ and 90 kV Ar⁺ ion bombardments with a Ar⁺:Ar²⁺ fluence ratio of 1:4. The effects of ion irradiation were followed by Rutherford backscattering, measurements of hysteresis loops at 5 K and of temperature-dependent field-cooled (FC) and zero-field-cooled (ZFC) measurements of the magnetic susceptibility. A decrease of the peak temperature in the ZFC curve for displacements per atom (DPA) up to 1.1 was observed. Irradiation also induces progressively lower coercivity values. The Co particles showed a remarkable high resistance to ion irradiation, surviving damage up to 33 DPA.     

Ion beam enhanced etching of LiNbO3

Single crystals of z- and x-cut LiNbO₃ were irradiated at room temperature and 15 K using He⁺- and Ar⁺-ions with energies of 40 and 350 keV and ion fluences between 5 × 10¹² and 5 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻². The damage formation investigated with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) channeling analysis depends on the irradiation temperature as well as the ion species. For instance, He⁺-irradiation of z-cut material at 300 K provokes complete amorphization at 2.0 dpa (displacements per target atom). In contrast, 0.4 dpa is sufficient to amorphize the LiNbO₃ in the case of Ar⁺-irradiation. Irradiation at 15 K reduces the number of displacements per atom necessary for amorphization. To study the etching behavior, 400 nm thick amorphous layers were generated via multiple irradiation with He⁺- and Ar⁺-ions of different energies and fluences. Etching was performed in a 3.6% hydrofluoric (HF) solution at 40 °C. Although the etching rate of the perfect crystal is negligible, that of the amorphized regions amounts to 80 nm min⁻¹. The influence of the ion species, the fluence, the irradiation temperature and subsequent thermal treatment on damage and etching of LiNbO₃ are discussed.     

Autoionising state excitation in collisions of inert gas projectiles with an Al surface and effects of initial stages of oxidation

Results of an angle resolved electron spectroscopy study of low keV He⁺, Ne and Ne⁺ collisions with an Al surface are presented. Production of projectile autoionising states is demonstrated to exist not only for the previously known Ne⁺ case but also for Ne and He⁺. The characteristics of autoionising peak line shapes suggest differences in angular distributions of the different Ne^** states. Initial stages of the oxidation of Al are studied. Saturation coverages of oxygen are reached for exposures greater than 100 L. An initial decrease in the work function is observed amounting to 160 meV for a 30 L exposure. Exposure to oxygen results in a strong decrease of autoionising state production. State-selective attenuation is observed and reflects changes in electron transfer rates.     

Ion beam induced nucleation in amorphous GaAs layers during MeV implantation

To investigate the nonlinear dose dependence of the thickness of the recrystallized layer during ion beam induced epitaxial recrystallization at amorphous/crystalline interfaces GaAs samples were irradiated with 1.0 MeV Ar⁺, 1.6 MeV Ar⁺ or 2.5 MeV Kr⁺ ions using a dose rate of 1.4 × 10¹² cm⁻² s⁻¹ at temperatures between 50°C and 180°C. It has been found that the thickness of the recrystallized layer reaches a maximum value at T_max = 90°C and 135°C for the Ar⁺ and Kr⁺ implantations, respectively. This means that the crystallization rate deviates from an Arrhenius dependence due to ion beam induced nucleation and growth within the remaining amorphous layer. The size of the crystallites depends on the implantation dose. This nucleation and growth of the crystallites disturbes and at least blocks the interface movement because the remaining surface layer becomes polycrystalline. Choosing temperatures sufficiently below T_max the thickness of the recrystallized layer increases linearly with the implantation dose indicating that the irradiation temperature is too low for ion induced nucleation.     

Ion beam mixing of titanium films on stainless steel

The ion mixing of Ti-steel bilayers with N⁺, Ar⁺, Ti⁺, Kr⁺ and Xe⁺ ions was investigated by means of Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). The mixing rates exhibit a linear scaling with the deposited damage energy f_D. No correlation between the properties of the mixing ion and the mixing efficiency was found. The results are compared with the predictions of ballistic and thermal-spike models.     

Desorption of silver atoms from benzene-covered Ag(1 1 1) by energetic Ar bombardment

Experiments have been conducted to gain insight into the processes of desorption of neutral species from surfaces covered with organic molecules due to bombardment with keV particles. The system is comprised of benzene molecules adsorbed onto Ag(1 1 1) and bombarded with 8 keV Ar⁺ ions. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the same system have been performed. Results show that the presence of the benzene alters the yield, the kinetic energy distributions, and the angular distributions of the silver atoms. These changes of the desorption characteristics are the result of collisions between the Ag atoms and the benzene molecules adsorbed to the surface. As more benzene is adsorbed to the surface, the changes to the Ag atom desorption characteristics become more pronounced. The simulations reproduce the modifications to the Ag atom energy and angle distributions.     

Z variations in yields of multicharged ions scattered and recoiled from a silicon surface

The doubly charged and triply charged ion yields from keV ion-silicon surface scattering are found to have a strong dependence on the atomic number Z₁ of the incident ion. For Z₁ < Z₂ the yield of scattered multicharged ions increases with Z₁, so that these ions dominate the recoiling Si²⁺ and Si³⁺ ions by Z₁ = 9. In contrast, when Z₁ > Z₂, there are large yields of Si²⁺ and Si³⁺ ions, and the multicharged scattered ion yields are too small to detect. The interaction radius at which shell vacancies are produced is also found to change, suggesting that electron promotion occurs at a different level crossing on either side of Z₁ = Z₂.     

Electron emission in 10–100 keV H and He grazing ion-surface collisions

We have measured energy distributions of electrons ejected during grazing 10–100 keV H⁺ and He⁺ ions scattering from Si surfaces for a broad range of electron observation angles. The distributions have contributions strongly dependent on the directions of incidence and observation. For observation regions around the specular reflection of the ions we have studied the angular dependence of the electron structure resulting from electron transfer to the continuum of the effective ion potential. Far from the ion scattering plane we have observed the Si Auger electron spectrum. We discuss the differences between the Auger peaks obtained by electron and grazing proton bombardment of Si surfaces partially covered with O₂ and Al.     

Investigation of metal matrix systems for cosmogenic Al analysis by accelerator mass spectrometry

We report experiments designed to help optimize accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) of ²⁶Al (in the form of Al₂O₃) for geochronologic and geomorphologic applications. Analysis times are long and the precision of AMS are restricted by counting statistics for ²⁶Al, which are in turn limited by the intensity of Al⁻ beam currents. We show that ion beam currents are affected by the metal matrix in which Al₂O₃ is dispersed, by the matrix-to-Al₂O₃ mixing ratio, and for at least some matrices, such as Ag, by the depth to which the sample is packed in the AMS cathode. Typical instantaneous Al⁺⁷ currents (μA) produced by the LLNL CAMS Cs sputter ion source and measured in a Faraday cup after the accelerator are 2.26 for samples in Ag, 2.17 in Re, 2.00 in Nb, 1.92 in V and 1.73 in Mo. The AMS counting efficiency (Al⁻ ions detected per Al atom loaded in the target) for a constant analysis time (900 s) and for equimolar mixtures of Al₂O₃ and matrix is in the range of 6 × 10⁻⁵–9 × 10⁻⁵ in the order Ag > Re > Nb > V > Mo. Additionally, we observed a correlation between the ion detection efficiency (Al ions detected per Al atoms loaded) and the matrix work function and inverse vaporization enthalpy of the matrix and beam current. Typical currents (μA) obtained with elemental Al are 13.3 for samples in no matrix, 3.23 in V, 3.14 in Nb, 3.07 in Re, 2.85 in Mo, 1.46 in Ag. The ion detection efficiency for elemental Al correlates strongly with matrix electron affinity. Thus, our data indicate that the current practice of mixing Al₂O₃ with Ag is reasonable until a means is found to produce cathodes of elemental Al.