The effects of ion beam induced atomic mixing and subsequent thermal treatment in Si/C multilayer structures are investigated by use of the technique of grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The [Si (3.0 nm) / C (2.5 nm)]x10 /Si multilayer films were prepared by electron beam evaporation under ultra high vacuum (UHV) environment. The layer thicknesses were measured using in-situ quartz crystal oscillator. These multilayer films were subjected to 40 keV Ar+ ion irradiation with fluences 5E-16 (low fluence) and 1E-17 ions / cm2 (high fluence).The as-prepared and irradiated multilayer samples were annealed at 773 K for one hour. The GIXRD and Raman spectroscopy results reveal the formation of different phases of SiC in these multilayer structures. Deposition induced reactions at the nano-structured interface and subsequent room temperature Ar ion irradiation at low fluence result in formation of the hexagonal SiC phase. High fluence Ar+ ion irradiation and subsequent annealing at 773 K for one hour leads to precipitation of the cubic-SiC phase.
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0601224,
title = {Study of ion beam induced mixing in nano-layered Si/C multilayer structures},
author = {Ram Prakash and S. Amirthapandian and D. M. Phase and S. K. Deshpande and R. Kesavamoorthy and K. G. M. Nair},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0601224},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
16 pages, 3 figures. to be appear soon in NIM B (article in press)