Effect of 160 MeV Ni ion irradiation on PbS quantum dots

PbS quantum dots of average size 10 nm are encapsulated in a matrix (polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)) following chemical route. They are irradiated with 160 MeV Ni¹²⁺ ion beam with fluences 10¹²-10¹³ ions/cm². Red shift in the absorption response in the optical absorption spectra reveal size enhancement of the quantum dots after irradiation and was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Photoluminescence (PL) study was carried out with excitation wavelength 325 nm on both unirradiated and irradiated samples at different fluences and fluence-dependent surface states and excitonic emission is observed in the PL study. The Huang-Rhys coupling constant decreases significantly after swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation and shows a decreasing trend with increase in ion fluence.     

Magnetic study of nanostructured zinc ferrite irradiated with 100 MeV O-beam

Nanostructured zinc ferrite of particle size 10 nm was synthesized by using the nitrates of appropriate cations and citric acid. This system was irradiated by 100 MeV oxygen beam with the fluence of 5×10¹³ ions/cm². The particle size of the system remains almost same after the irradiation. We observe decrease in magnetization of the sample after irradiation at 300 and 10 K. The nature of the σ-H plot shows the presence of superparamgnetic domains at 300 K even after irradiation. The blocking temperature decreases from 276 to 63 K after irradiation. The Mössbauer spectroscopy supports the presence of superparamgnetic domains at 300 K in both the samples. The decrease in magnetization after irradiation is attributed to the decrease in cation inversion and increase in canting angle as observed from in-field Mössbauer spectroscopy.     

Formation of nanocrystalline TiO2 by 100 MeV Au

Nanocrystalline TiO₂ structures are formed by irradiation of 100 MeV Au⁸⁺ ion beam on amorphous thin films of TiO₂. Surface morphology of the nanocrystals is studied by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Amorphous to nanocrystalline phase transformation is identified by Glancing Angle X-ray Diffraction (GAXRD) and Raman spectroscopic studies. Optical characterization is carried out by UV-VIS spectroscopy technique. Blue shift observed in absorption band edge indicates the formation of nanophase TiO₂ after irradiation. The impinging swift heavy ion (100 MeV Au⁸⁺) induces nucleation of nanoparticles along the ion trajectory through inelastic collisions of the projectile with electrons of the material. It is observed that the shape and size of nanoparticles formed is dependant on the irradiation fluence.     

125 MeV Si ion irradiation of calcium phosphate thin film coated by rf-magnetron sputtering technique

Titanium substrate was coated with hydroxyapatite by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering (rf-magnetron sputtering) technique and subjected to swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation of 125 MeV with Si⁹⁺ at fluences of 1 × 10¹⁰, 1 × 10¹¹ and 1 × 10¹² ions/cm². The glancing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) analysis confirmed the HAp phase of the irradiated film. There was a considerable decrease in crystallinity and particle size after irradiation. In addition, DRS-UV reflectance spectra revealed a decrease in optical band gap (E_g) from 5.2 to 4.6 eV. Wettability of biocompatible materials plays an important role in biological cells proliferation for tissue engineering, drug delivery, gene transfer and bone growth. HAp thin films irradiated with 1 × 10¹¹ ions/cm² fluence showed significant increase in wettability. While the SHI irradiated samples exhibited enhanced bioactivity, there was no significant variation in cell viability. Surface roughness, pores and average particle size were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM).     

Effect of swift (∼100 MeV) heavy ion irradiation on surface morphology and electronic transport in Fe film on Si substrate

Fe film (∼50 nm) have been deposited on pSi substrate by electron beam evaporation technique. The bilayers have been irradiated by 100 MeV Fe⁷⁺ ions having fluences of 1 × 10¹³, 1 × 10¹⁴ and 5 × 10¹⁴ ions cm⁻². SEM study of the unirradiated devices show surface modifications having a annular structures. From XRD study of the bilayer, it is observed that grain size has reduced from 70 to 25 nm after the irradiation for a fluence of 1 × 10¹⁴ ions cm⁻². Moreover electronic transport data of the bilayer show practically no effect on the current flow for a fluence of 1 × 10¹³ ions cm⁻² irradiation whereas for 1 × 10¹⁴ ions cm⁻² fluence, there is very significant change in current flow (by two orders in magnitude) across the bilayer. However, for a higher fluence of irradiation 5 × 10¹⁴ ions cm⁻², the bilayer becomes highly resistive. It has been found from the above observations that the fluence of 1 × 10¹⁴ ions cm⁻² of swift heavy ion irradiation is a optimum fluence.     

Effect of swift heavy ion irradiation on thermal,optical and structural properties of poly vinylidene chloride

Poly vinylidene chloride (PVDC) irradiated with lithium (50 MeV), carbon (85 MeV), nickel (120 MeV) and silver ions (120 MeV) having fluence range of 1 × 10¹¹ ions/cm² to 3 × 10¹² ions/cm² have been studied using different techniques i.e. XRD (X-ray diffraction), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared), UV–Visible and TGA (thermo-gravimetric analysis). In XRD analysis, the intensity of diffraction peaks of PVDC irradiated with lithium ions was enhanced at lower fluence as compared to pristine. The shift in optical absorption edge in irradiated PVDC was correlated with the decrease in optical band gap energy. The distinguishable characteristic peaks were observed due to UV–Vis analysis, in lithium irradiated samples of PVDC at higher fluences. The % age decrease in optical band gap energy for the respective ions were 30.9%, 34.16%, 81.1%, 87.02% respectively. Formation of double carbon bonds and breaking of C–O and C–Cl bonds with the release of Cl in irradiated PVDC was observed in FTIR spectra. In Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the % age weight loss observed for irradiated samples with increase in ion fluence was lesser than the % age weight loss observed in pristine sample.     

Study of optical band gap, carbonaceous clusters and structuring in CR-39 and PET polymers irradiated by 100 MeV O ions

Commercially purchased CR-39 and PET polymers were irradiated by 100 MeV O⁷⁺ ions of varying fluences, ranging from 1×10¹¹ to 1×10¹³ ions/cm². The effects of swift heavy ions (SHI) on the structural, optical and chemical properties of CR-39 and PET polymers were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The XRD patterns of CR-39 show that the intensity of the peak decreases with increasing ion fluence, which indicates that the semicrystalline structure of polymer changes to amorphous with increasing fluences. The XRD patterns of PET show a slight increase in the intensity of the peaks, indicating an increase in the crystallinity. The UV-visible spectra show the shift in the absorbance edge towards the higher wavelength, indicating the change in band gap. Band gap in PET and CR-39 found to be decrease from 3.87 to 2.91 and 5.3-3.5 eV, respectively. The cluster size also shows a variation in the carbon atoms per cluster that varies from 42 to 96 in CR-39 and from 78 to 139 in PET. The FTIR spectra show an overall reduction in intensity of the typical bands, indicating the degradation of polymers after irradiation.     

Impact of 100 MeV Au on the surface of relaxed Si0.5Ge0.5 alloy films studied by atomic force microscopy

We demonstrate a gradual surface modification process of relaxed Si_0.5Ge_0.5 alloy films by 100 MeV Au beam with fluence varying between 5 × 10¹⁰ and 1 × 10¹² ions/cm² at 80 K by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM). Presence of Ge quantum dots (QDs) was found in the virgin sample. The disappearance of the QDs were noticed when the samples were irradiated with a fluence of 5 × 10¹⁰ ions/cm². Craters were found developing at a fluence of 1 × 10¹¹ ions/cm². Apart from the evolution of the craters, blisters were also detected at a fluence of 1 × 10¹² ions/cm². Variation of the average root mean square value of the surface roughness as a function of fluence was examined.     

Swift heavy ion induced modifications in cobalt doped ZnO thin films: Structural and optical studies

Modifications in the structural and optical properties of 100 MeV Ni⁷⁺ ions irradiated cobalt doped ZnO thin films (Zn_1−xCo_xO, x = 0.05) prepared by sol-gel route were studied. The films irradiated with a fluence of 1 × 10¹³ ions/cm² were single phase and show improved crystalline structure with preferred C-axis orientation as revealed from XRD analysis. Effects of irradiation on bond structure of thin films were studied by FTIR spectroscopy. The spectrum shows no change in bonding structure of Zn-O after irradiation. Improved quality of films is further supported by FTIR studies. Optical properties of the pristine and irradiated samples have been determined by using UV-vis spectroscopic technique. Optical absorption spectra show an appreciable red shift in the band gap of irradiated Zn_1−xCo_xO thin film due to sp-d interaction between Co²⁺ ions and ZnO band electrons. Transmission spectra show absorption band edges at 1.8 eV, 2.05 eV and 2.18 eV corresponding to d-d transition of Co²⁺ ions in tetrahedral field of ZnO. The AFM study shows a slight increase in grain size and surface roughness of the thin films after irradiation.     

Thermoluminescence and photoluminescence of LiNaSO4:Eu irradiated with 24 and 48 MeV Li ion beam

Thermoluminescence (TL) of LiNaSO₄:Eu phosphor, irradiated with 24 and 48 MeV ⁷Li ions at different fluences in the range 5×10⁹-1×10¹² ion/cm², has been studied. The samples from the same batch were also exposed to γ-rays from a Cs¹³⁷ source for comparative studies. The TL glow curves of the materials, irradiated with ⁷Li ions, have similar structures to that of γ-irradiated sample. They have a simple structure with a prominent peak at 412 K along with small one at around 481 K. The intensity ratios of 412-481 K peaks have been observed to increase with fluence increasing, while that of γ-irradiated sample shows a reverse trend. This could be attributed to the changes in the recombination center populations due to ⁷Li ions, that have been implanted inside the matrix of LiNaSO₄:Eu, during irradiation and might also act as a source for new trapping and luminescent centers. The implantation has been confirmed by TRIM calculations. The penetration depths (where the ion comes to rest) are found to be 145 and 463 μm corresponding to 24 and 48 MeV ion beam energies, respectively, which are less than the thickness of the sample chips (∼800 μm). The efficiencies of LiNaSO₄:Eu to 24 and 48 MeV ⁷Li ions measured relative to γ-rays of Cs¹³⁷ are found to be 0.007 and 0.024, respectively. Theoretical analysis of the glow curves of the samples irradiated by ⁷Li ions and γ-rays were done by glow curve deconvolution method to determine trapping parameters of various peaks. The experimentally observed linearity/sublinearity has been discussed in the frame of track interaction model. Photoluminescence studies in the ⁷Li ions irradiated and un-irradiated samples show that europium ions have incorporated in the host in their divalent (emission at 440 nm) as well as trivalent (emissions at 594, 615 and 700 nm) forms. The intensities of the emission bands of these ions have been observed to increase with fluence increasing.     

The effects of xenon ion irradiation on the photoluminesce behavior of poly(p-cresolformaldeyde)/diazonaphtoquinone thin films

In the present paper, we investigate the origin of photoluminescence (PL) and the changes in the optical properties: refractive index and absorption coefficient, in poly(p-cresolformaldeyde) and diazonaphtoquinone thin films irradiated with Xe ions. Films 400 nm thick have been irradiated with 800 keV Xe²⁺ ions in a fluence range from 10¹³ to 6 × 10¹⁵ Xe cm⁻². The structural modifications were followed by the techniques of nuclear reaction analysis, elastic recoil detection analysis, Rutherford backscattering, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectroscopies. The PL behavior was characterised with 488 nm excitation wavelength. The pristine films show emission with maxima of the main bands located at 635, 720 and 830 nm. For fluences up to 10¹⁴ Xe cm⁻², the photoluminescence intensity increases with the irradiation fluence. The chain mobility lowering, characterized by the crosslinked structure, explains this behavior in organic systems. Other possible contribution for increasing of PL intensity, at these fluences, is the presence of oxygen trapped in the polymer chains by the dangling bonds. At intermediate and higher fluences, the photoluminescence starts to decrease. At fluences higher than 10¹⁴ Xe cm⁻², irreversible changes of the organic structure occur and they are characterized by large losses of oxygen and hydrogen, transforming the material into amorphous carbon films. The loss of photoluminescent behavior is associated with the light absorption characteristics of the amorphous carbon structure. This conclusion is supported by the observed increase of the refractive indexes and absorption coefficients, obtained in the infrared region, as well as by the Raman results. Also, the effect of irradiation modifying the refractive index in the infrared region suggests the application of these films as waveguide in this region of wavelength.     

High-resolution electron microscopy study of SiGeC thin films grown on Si(1 0 0) by laser-assisted techniques

PLIE was used for rapid crystallisation of a-SiGeC films deposited by LCVD on Si(1 0 0) substrates. HRTEM study of thin films grown with several laser energies shows that the combination of the two laser techniques gives an almost completely crystallised alloy, even for the lowest laser fluence. Island formation is observed below a certain threshold of fluence (about 450 mJ/cm²). In the case of the lowest energy (100 mJ/cm²) the material was partially crystallised (with the crystalline material being the predominant state), to a nanocrystalline alloy with a considerable amount of epitaxialy grown grains and with grain sizes of several tens of nanometers. Above the threshold of 450 mJ/cm² a rather smooth thin film is grown. The crystallisation is almost complete and the alloy is grown in an almost perfect epitaxial way.     

Effect of annealing temperature and annealing atmosphere on the structure and optical properties of ZnO thin films on sapphire (0 0 0 1) substrates by magnetron sputtering

ZnO thin films were epitaxially grown on sapphire (0 0 0 1) substrates by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. ZnO thin films were then annealed at different temperatures in air and in various atmospheres at 800 °C, respectively. The effect of the annealing temperature and annealing atmosphere on the structure and optical properties of ZnO thin films are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), photoluminescence (PL). A strong (0 0 2) diffraction peak of all ZnO thin films shows a polycrystalline hexagonal wurtzite structure and high preferential c-axis orientation. XRD and AFM results reveal that the better structural quality, relatively smaller tensile stress, smooth, uniform of ZnO thin films were obtained when annealed at 800 °C in N₂. Room temperature PL spectrum can be divided into the UV emission and the Visible broad band emission. The UV emission can be attributed to the near band edge emission (NBE) and the Visible broad band emission can be ascribed to the deep level emissions (DLE). By analyzing our experimental results, we recommend that the deep-level emission correspond to oxygen vacancy (V_O) and interstitial oxygen (O_i). The biggest ratio of the PL intensity of UV emission to that of visible emission (I_NBE/I_DLE) is observed from ZnO thin films annealed at 800 °C in N₂. Therefore, we suggest that annealing temperature of 800 °C and annealing atmosphere of N₂ are the most suitable annealing conditions for obtaining high quality ZnO thin films with good luminescence performance.     

XPS investigation of ion beam induced conversion of GaAs(0 0 1) surface into GaN overlayer

For the advance of GaN based optoelectronic devices, one of the major barriers has been the high defect density in GaN thin films, due to lattice parameter and thermal expansion incompatibility with conventional substrates. Of late, efforts are focused in fine tuning epitaxial growth and in search for a low temperature method of forming low defect GaN with zincblende structure, by a method compatible to the molecular beam epitaxy process. In principle, to grow zincblende GaN the substrate should have four-fold symmetry and thus zincblende GaN has been prepared on several substrates including Si, 3C-SiC, GaP, MgO, and on GaAs(0 0 1). The iso-structure and a common shared element make the epitaxial growth of GaN on GaAs(0 0 1) feasible and useful. In this study ion-induced conversion of GaAs(0 0 1) surface into GaN at room temperature is optimized. At the outset a Ga-rich surface is formed by Ar⁺ ion bombardment. Nitrogen ion bombardment of the Ga-rich GaAs surface is performed by using 2-4 keV energy and fluence ranging from 3 × 10¹³ ions/cm² to 1 × 10¹⁸ ions/cm². Formation of surface GaN is manifested as chemical shift. In situ core level and true secondary electron emission spectra by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are monitored to observe the chemical and electronic property changes. Using XPS line shape analysis by deconvolution into chemical state, we report that 3 keV N₂⁺ ions and 7.2 × 10¹⁷ ions/cm² are the optimal energy and fluence, respectively, for the nitridation of GaAs(0 0 1) surface at room temperature. The measurement of electron emission of the interface shows the dependence of work function to the chemical composition of the interface. Depth profile study by using Ar⁺ ion sputtering, shows that a stoichiometric GaN of 1 nm thickness forms on the surface. This, room temperature and molecular beam epitaxy compatible, method of forming GaN temperature can serve as an excellent template for growing low defect GaN epitaxial overlayers.     

Effect of swift heavy ion irradiation on photoluminescence properties of ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films

We report a study on the SHI induced modifications on structural and optical properties of ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films. The ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by the chemical route using 2-mercaptoethanol as a capping agent. The structure of ZnO nanoparticles was confirmed by XRD, SEM and TEM. These ZnO nanoparticles were dispersed in the PMMA matrix to form ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films by the solution cast method. These ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite films were then irradiated by swift heavy ion irradiation (Ni⁸⁺ ion beam, 100 MeV) at a fluence of 1×10¹¹ ions/cm². The nanocomposite films were then characterized by XRD, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. As revealed from the absorption spectra, absorption edge is not changed by the irradiation but the optical absorption is increased. Enhanced green luminescence at about 527 nm and a less intense blue emission peak around 460 nm were observed after irradiation with respect to the pristine ZnO/PMMA nanocomposite film.     

Induced Electronic and Thermal Effects of 86 MeV Nickel Ions in Bisphenol-A Polycarbonate

Bisphenol-A polycarbonate films were irradiated with 86 MeV swift heavy nickel ions at varying fluences, ranging from 1 × 10¹¹ to 1 × 10¹³ ions cm^?2, under vacuum at room temperature, to analyze the induced electrical and thermal modifications. AC conductivity measurements and UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were applied to analyze the changes. A significant, exponential increase in conductivity at higher frequency was observed with the increase of nickel ion fluence. UV-visible analysis corroborated the results of the AC conductivity measurement, revealing the increase in size of the carbon clusters embedded in the polymer network, with the increase of heavy ion fluence. FTIR analysis revealed the formation of alkene and alkyne end groups at higher doses, which further supported the suggestion that the variation in electrical properties induced by the ion irradiation of the polymer was due to development of a carbonaceous phase inside the polymer due to the irradiation. Thermal analysis, i.e., TGA and DSC patterns, showed that chain-scission was the leading phenomena in the heavy ion-irradiated polycarbonate samples, resulting in degradation of their thermal stability.     

Polymer self-assembled nano-structures and surface relief gratings induced with laser at 157 nm

Surface relief gratings (SRG) and self-organized nano-structures induced by laser light at 157 nm on the fluoropolymer poly(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl methacrylate) (PTFEMA), films were obtained under well-controlled light exposure conditions. Regular and semi-regular spaced self-organized grating-like structures were created on polymeric films for ∼7.5-100 mJ/cm² laser energy fluence. For lower laser fluence, the surface morphology of light exposed/non-exposed areas exhibited irregular-like structure morphologies, while polymer surface irradiation with energy fluence higher than 150 mJ/cm² causes progressively fading out of the regular patterns. Under the specific experimental conditions, the SRG and self-organization patterning have their origin in the development of a surface thermal instability (Rayleigh's instability), which is resolved itself into regular patterns on the surface of the fluoropolymer film. The thermal instability is due to the explosive polymer surface photo-dissociation at 157 nm and the build up of longitudinal and periodic surface stress, which eventually create the SRG and the self-assembled structures on the polymer.     

Synthesis and characterization of CdS/PVA nanocomposite films

A series CdS/PVA nanocomposite films with different amount of Cd salt have been prepared by means of the in situ synthesis method via the reaction of Cd²⁺-dispersed poly vinyl-alcohol (PVA) with H₂S. The as-prepared films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption, photoluminescence (PL) spectra, Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The XRD results indicated the formation of CdS nanoparticles with hexagonal phase in the PVA matrix. The primary FTIR spectra of CdS/PVA nanocomposite in different processing stages have been discussed. The vibrational absorption peak of CdS bond at 405 cm⁻¹ was observed, which further testified the generation of CdS nanoparticles. The TGA results showed incorporation of CdS nanoparticles significantly altered the thermal properties of PVA matrix. The photoluminescence and UV-vis spectroscopy revealed that the CdS/PVA films showed quantum confinement effect.     

Surface morphology of epitaxial lattice-matched Ba0.7Sr0.3O on Si(0 0 1) and vicinal Si(0 0 1)-4°[1 1 0] substrates

Exploring ways for self-organized structuring of insulating thin films, we investigated the possibility to produce replicas of step trains, given by a vicinal Si(0 0 1)-4°[1 1 0] surface, in layers of crystalline and perfectly lattice-matched Ba_0.7Sr_0.3O. For this purpose, we carried out high-resolution spot profile analyses in low-energy electron diffraction (SPA-LEED) both on flat Si(0 0 1) and on Si(0 0 1)-4°[1 1 0]. Oxide layers were generated by evaporating the metals in oxygen ambient pressure with the sample at room temperature. Our G(S) analysis of these mixed oxide layers reveals a strong influence of local compositional fluctuations of Sr and Ba ions and their respective scattering phases, which appears as an unphysically large variation of layer distances. Nevertheless, we are able to show that quite smooth and closed oxide films are obtained with an rms roughness of about 1 ML. These Ba_0.7Sr_0.3O films directly follow the step train of Sr-modified vicinal Si surfaces that form (1 1 3) oriented facets after adsorption of a monolayer of Sr. This proves that self-organized structuring of insulating films can indeed be an effective method.     

Surface and subsurface oxide formation on Ni(1 0 0) and Ni(1 1 1)

The oxidation of Ni(1 0 0) and Ni(1 1 1) at elevated temperatures and large oxygen exposures, typical of the methods used in the preparation of NiO(1 0 0) films for surface studies, has been investigated by medium energy ion scattering (MEIS) using 100 keV H⁺ incident ions. Oxide film growth proceeds significantly faster on Ni(1 1 1) than on Ni(1 0 0), but on both surfaces oxide penetration occurs to depths significantly greater than 100 Å with total exposures of 1200 and 6000 L respectively. The metal/oxide interface is extremely rough, with metallic Ni extending to the surface, even for much thicker oxide films on Ni(1 1 1). On Ni(1 1 1), NiO growth occurs with the (1 0 0) face parallel to the Ni(1 1 1) surface and the close-packed 〈1 1 0〉 directions parallel. On Ni(1 0 0) the MEIS blocking curves cannot be reconciled with a single orientation of NiO(1 0 0) (with the 〈1 1 0〉 directions parallel) on the surface, but is consistent with the substantial orientational disorder (including tilt) previously identified by spot-profile analysis LEED.