{"title":"Swift heavy ion irradiation of polycrystalline SiC pre-implanted with silver ions at room temperature: Effects of swift heavy ion fluence","authors":"Z.A.Y. Abdalla , R.E. Chauke , V.A. Skuratov , T.T. Hlatshwayo","doi":"10.1016/j.vacuum.2025.114257","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the effects of SHIs irradiation fluence on the recrystallization and structural evolution of amorphous SiC layer induced by ion implantation. Polycrystalline SiC wafers were implanted with 360 keV Ag ions to a fluence of 2 × 10<sup>16</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup> at room temperature. Some of the pre-implanted samples were then irradiated at room temperature with 167 MeV Xe ions to fluences of 1 × 10<sup>13</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup>, 1 × 10<sup>14</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup>, 3.4 × 10<sup>14</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup> and 8.4 × 10<sup>14</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup>. The samples were then characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Raman Spectroscopy, and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS). Ag implantation resulted in the amorphization of SiC from the surface to a depth of 270 nm. SHIs irradiation at a fluence of 1 × 10<sup>13</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup> reduced the amorphous layer thickness to 230 nm, which represents a 15 % reduction. This was accompanied with a partial recrystallization in the amorphous layer. A similar reduction of approximately 15 % was observed at fluences of 1 × 10<sup>14</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup> and 3.4 × 10<sup>14</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup>. While, irradiation at 8.4 × 10<sup>14</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup> reduced the amorphous layer to 220 nm, which represents a 19 % reduction. The results showed that the degree of crystallization within the amorphous layer gradually increased with irradiation fluences of SHIs, indicating that recrystallization is fluence-dependent. No migration of pre-implanted Ag was observed after SHIs irradiation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23559,"journal":{"name":"Vacuum","volume":"238 ","pages":"Article 114257"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Vacuum","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042207X25002477","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study investigates the effects of SHIs irradiation fluence on the recrystallization and structural evolution of amorphous SiC layer induced by ion implantation. Polycrystalline SiC wafers were implanted with 360 keV Ag ions to a fluence of 2 × 1016 cm−2 at room temperature. Some of the pre-implanted samples were then irradiated at room temperature with 167 MeV Xe ions to fluences of 1 × 1013 cm−2, 1 × 1014 cm−2, 3.4 × 1014 cm−2 and 8.4 × 1014 cm−2. The samples were then characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Raman Spectroscopy, and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS). Ag implantation resulted in the amorphization of SiC from the surface to a depth of 270 nm. SHIs irradiation at a fluence of 1 × 1013 cm−2 reduced the amorphous layer thickness to 230 nm, which represents a 15 % reduction. This was accompanied with a partial recrystallization in the amorphous layer. A similar reduction of approximately 15 % was observed at fluences of 1 × 1014 cm−2 and 3.4 × 1014 cm−2. While, irradiation at 8.4 × 1014 cm−2 reduced the amorphous layer to 220 nm, which represents a 19 % reduction. The results showed that the degree of crystallization within the amorphous layer gradually increased with irradiation fluences of SHIs, indicating that recrystallization is fluence-dependent. No migration of pre-implanted Ag was observed after SHIs irradiation.
期刊介绍:
Vacuum is an international rapid publications journal with a focus on short communication. All papers are peer-reviewed, with the review process for short communication geared towards very fast turnaround times. The journal also published full research papers, thematic issues and selected papers from leading conferences.
A report in Vacuum should represent a major advance in an area that involves a controlled environment at pressures of one atmosphere or below.
The scope of the journal includes:
1. Vacuum; original developments in vacuum pumping and instrumentation, vacuum measurement, vacuum gas dynamics, gas-surface interactions, surface treatment for UHV applications and low outgassing, vacuum melting, sintering, and vacuum metrology. Technology and solutions for large-scale facilities (e.g., particle accelerators and fusion devices). New instrumentation ( e.g., detectors and electron microscopes).
2. Plasma science; advances in PVD, CVD, plasma-assisted CVD, ion sources, deposition processes and analysis.
3. Surface science; surface engineering, surface chemistry, surface analysis, crystal growth, ion-surface interactions and etching, nanometer-scale processing, surface modification.
4. Materials science; novel functional or structural materials. Metals, ceramics, and polymers. Experiments, simulations, and modelling for understanding structure-property relationships. Thin films and coatings. Nanostructures and ion implantation.