Helium ion bombardment of thin aluminium films

A study is presented of the effect of 5 keV helium ion bombardment on thin (about 2000 Å) aluminium films using proton backscattering, scanning and transmission electron microscopy and α particle energy loss spectroscopy. Measurements of helium content after irradiation using proton backscattering indicate low below-saturation retention for both room temperature and low temperature implantations (19% and 24% respectively). Electron microscopy examination of the films reveals a severe deformation in the form of coarse and fine-scale wrinkling whose amplitude increases with increasing helium dose. This deformation does not appear to be the result of bubble swelling. An attempt has been made to quantify the wrinkling by measuring the energy loss spectrum of α particles transmitted through irradiated films and the combination of these measurements with a simple sinusoidal deformation model indicates an increase in film area of up to 20%.