High-energy ion-beam-induced phase separation in SiOx films

W. M. Arnoldbik, N. Tomozeiu, E. D. van Hattum, R. W. Lof, A. M. Vredenberg, and F. H. P. M. Habraken
Phys. Rev. B 71, 125329 – Published 28 March 2005

Abstract

The modification of the nanostructure of silicon suboxide (SiOx) films as a result of high-energy heavy-ion irradiation has been studied for the entire range 0.1x<2. The SiOx films have been obtained by radio-frequency magnetron sputter deposition. For 50MeV Cu8+63 ions and an angle of incidence of 20° with the plane of the surface, and for x0.5, it takes a fluence of about 1014cm2 to reach a SiOSi infrared absorption spectrum, which is supposed to be characteristic for a SiSiO2 composite film structure. For smaller x values, it takes a much larger fluence. The interpretation of the IR spectra is corroborated for the surface region by results from x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results present evidence for a mechanism, in which the phase separation takes place in the thermal spike, initiated by the energy deposited in many overlapping independent ion tracks. Such a process is possible since the suboxides fulfill the conditions for spinodal decomposition.

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  • Received 6 July 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.71.125329

©2005 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

W. M. Arnoldbik, N. Tomozeiu, E. D. van Hattum, R. W. Lof, A. M. Vredenberg, and F. H. P. M. Habraken

  • Surfaces, Interfaces and Devices, Debye Institute, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands

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Vol. 71, Iss. 12 — 15 March 2005

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