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Ion‐Beam‐Induced Chemical Mixing at a Nanocrystalline CeO 2 – Si Interface
Author(s) -
Edmondson Philip D.,
Young Neil P.,
Parish Chad M.,
Moll Sandra,
Namavar Fereydoon,
Weber William J.,
Zhang Yanwen
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/jace.12214
Subject(s) - materials science , nanocrystalline material , ion beam mixing , cerium , amorphous solid , irradiation , ion beam , analytical chemistry (journal) , ion , silicon , ion implantation , transmission electron microscopy , ion beam deposition , nanotechnology , crystallography , chemistry , optoelectronics , metallurgy , physics , organic chemistry , chromatography , nuclear physics
Thin films of nanocrystalline ceria deposited onto a silicon substrate have been irradiated with 3 MeV Au + ions to a total dose of 34 displacements per atom to examine the film/substrate interfacial response upon displacement damage. Under irradiation, a band of contrast is observed to form that grows under further irradiation. Scanning and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging and analysis suggest that this band of contrast is a cerium silicate phase with an approximate Ce : Si : O composition ratio of 1:1:3 in an amorphous nature. The slightly nonstoichiometric composition arises due to the loss of mobile oxygen within the cerium silicate phase under the current irradiation condition. This nonequilibrium phase is formed as a direct result of ion‐beam‐induced chemical mixing caused by ballistic collisions between the incoming ion and the lattice atoms. This may hold promise in ion beam engineering of cerium silicates for microelectronic applications e.g., the fabrication of blue LED s.