Nitrogen implanted in iron: AES and Pes study

AES and PES studies of nitrogen in iron implanted with molecular nitrogen ions having an energy of 120 keV and doses on the order of 10¹⁷ N-atoms/cm² were performed. Measuring nitrogen concentration depth profiles, a remarkable accumulation of nitrogen near surface was found besides the ordinary concentration maximum at the depth of mean projected range R_p of nitrogen ions. In addition to strong nitride bonding state a weakly bonded nitrogen was also observed. It manifested itself by time-dependent changes in spectra and by a distinct value of N 1s binding energy. The reasons for the concept of weakly bonded nitrogen, probably of molecular form, are discussed.