Defect versus nanocrystal luminescence emitted from room temperature and hot-implanted SiO2 layers

Silicon nanocrystals have been synthesized in SiO₂ matrix using Si ion implantation. Si ions were implanted into 300-nm-thick SiO₂ films grown on crystalline Si at energies of 30–55 keV, and with doses of 5×10¹⁵, 3×10¹⁶, and 1×10¹⁷ cm⁻². Implanted samples were subsequently annealed in an N₂ ambient at 500–1100°C during various periods. Photoluminescence spectra for the sample implanted with 1×10¹⁷ cm⁻² at 55 keV show that red luminescence (750 nm) related to Si-nanocrystals clearly increases with annealing temperature and time in intensity, and that weak orange luminescence (600 nm) is observed after annealing at low temperatures of 500°C and 800°C. The luminescence around 600 nm becomes very intense when a thin SiO₂ sample is implanted at a substrate temperature of 400°C with an energy of 30 keV and a low dose of 5×10¹⁵ cm⁻². It vanishes after annealing at 800°C for 30 min. We conclude that this luminescence observed around 600 nm is caused by some radiative defects formed in Si-implanted SiO₂.     

Structure and properties of molybdenum implanted with high-flux carbon ion

High purity molybdenum was implanted by C ion in a metal vapour vacuum arc (MEVVA) implanter. The influence of implantation parameters was studied by varying ion fluence and ion current density. The samples were implanted by 45 keV C ion with fluences from 1×10¹⁵ to 1×10¹⁸ ions/cm², respectively. The as-implanted samples were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and nanoindenter. Different morphologies were observed on the surfaces of the as-implanted samples due to irradiation damage, and clearly related to implantation parameters. XRD spectra confirm formation of β-Mo₂C with ion fluences equal to or larger than 1×10¹⁶ ions/cm², and formation of -Mo₂C with ion fluence of 1×10¹⁸ ions/cm². The maximum nanohardness and maximum modulus of the as-implanted samples increased gradually with increasing ion fluence, and reached the corresponding maximum values with ion fluence of 1×10¹⁸ ions/cm². The experimental results suggest that the structure and properties of the as-implanted Mo samples exhibited strong dependence on implantation parameters.     

Doping of latent tracks in polyethylene by iodine diffusion

Anomalous iodine diffusion was observed on polyethylene implanted with 150 keV F⁺ and As⁺ ions (1×10¹¹−1×10¹⁵cm⁻²) and exposed to iodine vapours at 90°C.     

Low energy ion-beam post hydrogenation of phosphor implanted amorphous silicon films

Glow-discharge-deposited intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon films have been doped by P⁺ implantation in varying doses between 10¹⁶ and 2 × 10²¹ atoms/cm³ and annealed at 260°C. Subsequent hydrogenation of the samples produces a decrease in conductivity explained by a hydrogen-induced decrease of the electrically active fraction of the dopant.     

EXAFS analysis of Er sites in Er–O and Er–F co-doped crystalline Si

We present extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and photoluminescence (PL) analyses of Er–O and Er–F co-doped Si. Samples were prepared by multiple implants at 77 K of Er and co-dopant (O or F) ions resulting in the formation of a2 μm thick amorphous layer uniformly doped with 1×10¹⁹ Er/cm³ and 3×10¹⁹ O/cm³, 1×10²⁰ O/cm³ or 1×10²⁰ F/cm³. EXAFS measurements show that the local environment of the Er sites in the amorphous layers consists of 6 Si first neighbors. After epitaxial regrowth at 620°C for 3 h, Er is fully coordinated with 8 F ions in the Er–F samples, while Si and O ions are concomitantly present in the first shell of O co-doped samples. Post regrowth thermal treatments at 900°C leave the coordination unchanged in the Er+F, while the Er+O (ratio 1 : 10) doped samples present Er sites with a fully O coordinated shell with an average of 5 O atoms and 4 O atoms after 30 s and 12 h, respectively. We have also found that the fine structure and intensity of the high-resolution PL spectra are strongly dependent on the Er-impurity ratio and on thermal process parameters in the Er–O co-doped samples, while this is not observed for the F-doped samples. The most intense PL response at 15 K was obtained for the 1 : 3 E : O ratio, suggesting that an incomplete O shell around Er is particularly suitable for optical excitation.     

The influence of oxygen on the lattice sites of rare earths in silicon

We have used conversion electron emission channeling to investigate the lattice sites of ^167mEr following implantation of the radioactive isotope ¹⁶⁷Tm into CZ Si and FZ Si at varying doses (6×10¹² – 5×10¹³ cm⁻²). In all cases isothermal annealing at 900°C caused Er to leave its preferred near-tetrahedral sites in favour of random lattice sites, but this process occurred by orders of magnitude faster in CZ Si. Furthermore, in CZ Si the incorporation of Er on random lattice sites was fastest in samples implanted with low doses of Tm+Er. We compare our experimental results to a simple numerical model which accounts for the diffusion of Er and O and the formation of Er_nO_m complexes. On the basis of this model, our experimental data indicate that only a few (probably between 1 and 2) O atoms are required in order to remove an Er atom from its tetrahedral site.     

Reversible H2 passivation of Si ≡ Si3 interface defects in (1 1 1)Si/SiO2

K-band electron spin resonance (ESR) at 4.3 K has revealed the dipole-dipole (DD) interaction effects between [1 1 1]P_b centers (^*Si ≡ Si₃ defects with unpaired sp³ hybrid [1 1 1]) at the 2 dimensional (1 1 1)Si/SiO₂ interface. This has been enabled by the perfectly reversible H₂ passivation of P_b, which affects the defect's spin state. Sequential hydrogenation at 253–353°C and degassing treatments in high vacuum at 743–835°C allowed to vary the P_b density in the range 5 × 10¹⁰ < [P_b] (1.14 ± 0.06) × 10¹³ cm^-2. With increasing [P_b] fine structure doublets are clearly resolved. It is found that (1 1 1)Si/SiO₂ interfaces, dry thermally grown at ≈920°C, naturally comprise a ^*Si ≡ Si₃ defect density — passivated or not — of 1.14 × 10¹³ cm^-2.     

Study of cluster decay of Cm using SSNTD

Cluster decay of ²⁴²Cm with emission of ³⁴Si-particles was measured using track-recording phosphate glass detectors. The corresponding partial half-life is (1.4±0.3)×10²³ s. The branching ratio relative to decay is 1.0×10⁻¹⁶ and relative to spontaneous fission 1.6×10⁻⁹.     

Comparison between MeV Ni and He ion-implanted planar optical waveguides in quartz

Optically polished crystalline quartz samples were implanted at room temperature by 2.6 MeV Ni⁺ ions with a dose of 9×10¹⁴ ions/cm² and 2.0 MeV He⁺ ions with a dose of 1.5×10¹⁶ ions/cm², respectively. A comparison of the MeV Ni⁺ ion-implanted planar waveguide formation was made with the MeV He⁺ ion-implanted one. The prism-coupling method was carried out to measure the dark modes in the quartz waveguides by using model 2010 prism coupler. Five modes were observed in the Ni⁺ implanted waveguide while 15 modes were found in the He⁺ ion-implanted one. Reflectivity calculation method was applied to fitting the refractive index profile. TRIM’98 (transport of ions in matter) code was used to simulate the damage profile in quartz by MeV Ni⁺ and He⁺ ions implantation, respectively. It is found that the refractive index profile in MeV Ni⁺ ions implanted waveguide is somewhat different in shape from that in MeV He⁺ ions implanted waveguide.     

The origin of photoluminescence in Ge-implanted SiO2 layers

Ge ions were implanted at 100 keV with 3×10¹⁶ cm⁻² into a 300  nm thick SiO₂ layer on Si. Visible photoluminescence (PL) around 2.1 eV from an as-implanted sample is observed, and faded out by subsequent annealing at 900°C for 2 h. However, PL shows up again after annealing above 900°C at the same peak position. Compared with the as-implanted sample, significant increase of Ge–Ge bonds is measured in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the formation of Ge nanocrystals with a diameter of 5 nm are observed in transmission electron microscopy from the sample annealed at 1100°C. We conclude that the PL peak from the sample annealed above 900°C is caused by the quantum confinement effects from Ge nanocrystals, while the luminescence from the as-implanted sample is due to some radiative defects formed by Ge implantation.     

π Meson interaction on He at 120, 145 and 165 MeV

The total cross sections and the differential cross sections of π⁺-⁴He elastic and inelastic reactions at E_π=120, 145 and 165 MeV have been measured using a 38 cm diffusion cloud chamber in a magnetic field exposed to the Frascati Laboratories' pion beam. Total π⁺ track lengths of (2141 ± 10) × 10³ cm, (3435 ± 10) × 10³ cm and (2413 ± 10) × 10³ cm were measured at the three considered energies, respectively. The elastic cross-section data are in good agreement with the results of the Dubna-Torino collaboration. The total inelastic cross sections have been obtained taking into account the contributions from all the inelastic channels. The analysis of the various inelastic processes has allowed us to distinguish five main reaction mechanisms, which compare reasonably with the existing data and with the models for pion-light-nuclei interactions.     

TL and PTTL in natural fluorite previously irradiated with gamma rays and heavy ions

The effect of annealing temperature on the phototransfer thermoluminescence (PTTL) signal was studied to determine the appropriate annealing temperature for treating the natural powder before irradiation. The temperatures used to anneal virgin natural fluorite samples (only natural dose without giving the samples any artificial doses) were 150, 250, 350, 450, 550, 650 and 750°C for a duration of 1 h in each case. The results show that the PTTL response did not change for anneal temperatures up to 450°C, but at higher temperatures the signal decreased rapidly. The height of the 90°C peak decreased by two orders of magnitude as the anneal temperature increased from 450 to 750°C, whilst the height of the 180°C peak decreased by three orders of magnitude between the same two annealing temperatures. In order to investigate the effect of previous gamma rays and heavy ion irradiation on thermoluminescence (TL) and PTTL signals, powdered samples of natural fluorite from Cornwall, England, were annealed at 500°C and then irradiated (at GSI, Darmstadt, Germany) with ¹⁶¹Dy ions of energy 13 Mev/n; the range of fluences used was from 10⁴ to 10¹² ion cm⁻². Identical samples were given gamma doses in the range 1 Gy to 2.6 × 10⁴ Gy in order to compare the effects of gamma rays and heavy ions. The sensitivities of TL and PTTL were studied by giving the samples a gamma test dose of 1 Gy after annealing the samples at 500°C for 30 min in order to eliminate the TL resulting from previous gamma or heavy ion irradiation.     

Photoluminescence and paramagnetic defects in silicon-implanted silicon dioxide layers

Thermally grown SiO₂ layers on Si substrates implanted with Si⁺ ions with a dose of 6×10¹⁶ cm⁻² were studied by the techniques of photoluminescence, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and low-frequency Raman scattering. Distinct oxygen-vacancy associated defects in SiO₂ and non-bridging oxygen hole centers were identified by EPR. The luminescence intensity in the 620 nm range was found to correlate with the number of these defects. The low-frequency Raman scattering technique was used to estimate the average size of the Si nanocrystallites formed after the implantation and thermal annealing at T>1100°C, which are responsible for the photoluminescence band with a maximum at 740 nm. The intensity of this band can be significantly enhanced by an additional treatment of the samples in a low-temperature RF plasma.     

Defects in H implanted GaAs studied by ion-beam and low-energy positron techniques

Ion-beam and low-energy positron-beam techniques have been used to study damage and implanted ion distributions and their annealing behavior in semi-insulating GaAs after the room temperature implantation of 3 × 10¹⁵−1 × 10¹⁷ 60 keV H⁺ cm^-2. The redistribution of the implanted H during annealing was observed to be connected to the migration of implantation-induced defect-complexes. A huge increase in the displaced atom concentration in the region of the H concentration was observed after annealings. A monovacancy overlayer, dissociation of H-vacancy complexes, and formation of stable vacancy-H agglomerates were observed in the different parts of the slowing-down region of the implanted H.     

Optical pumping of the 2p3sP0 State of Ne (I = 3/2): g factor and metastability exchange cross section

A C.W. multi-mode dye laser is used to obtain by optical pumping an orientation of the 2p⁵ 3s³P₀ (F = 3/2) state of ²¹Ne. A magnetic resonance experiment leads to the measurement of the g factor g (³P₀) = 3.027 (8) × 10⁻⁴ to be compared with the theoretical prediction (3.025(6) × 10⁻⁴). One obtains also the metastability exchange cross section σ(³P₀) = 18.4 ± 4 Ų for collisions between metastable (³P₀) Ne atoms and ground state Ne atoms. This result is compared with other measurements and theoretical evaluation.     

Proton conductive amorphous thin films of tungsten oxide clusters with acidic ligands

Three kinds of peroxo-polytungstic acid (PPTA, C-PPTA and N-PPTA) were obtained by reacting hydrogen peroxide with metallic tungsten, tungsten carbide or tungsten nitride, respectively. Polytungstates, C-PPTA and N-PPTA, were found to contain oxalate and nitrate ligands. Their proton conductivities were compared using thin film specimens spin-coated from their water solution. Conductivity of each as-coated film was in the range from 10⁻³ to 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ under the relative humidity of 40% (25 °C). A sharp decrease in conductivity (to less than 10⁻⁷ S cm⁻¹ at 25 °C) was observed for PPTA without acidic ligands after thermal treatment at 80 °C. However, the effect of thermal treatment on C-PPTA or N-PPTA was much milder. A 80 °C-treated C-PPTA film showed the conductivity of 1.0 × 10⁻⁵ S cm⁻¹ (25 °C) with a very weak dependency on ambient humidity.     

Surface tension and density measurements for indium and uranium using a sessile-drop apparatus with glow discharge cleaning

The sessile-drop method is used to measure the surface tension and density of liquid indium and uranium under high vacuum. Measurements are made over the temperature range 156–500°C for In and at the melting point for U. Surface oxides are efficiently removed with a glow discharge system. Drop profiles are captured by photograph and processed using nonlinear regression to yield the surface tension and density. In this regression procedure, normal distances from calculated profiles to data points are minimized. For indium, the density and surface tension measurements yield _mp = 7.05 × 10³kg/m³, d/dT = −0.776 kg/m³·°C, and γ_mp = 0.568 N/m, dγ/dT = −9.45 × 10⁻⁵ N/m·°C. The results for uranium at the melting point are _mp = 17.47 × 10³ kg/m³ and γ_mp = 1.653 N/m.     

Specific activity and derived intervention levels for Cesium-137 in Costa Rican export goods: Tuna fish, coffee and powdered milk

Cesium-137 is a fission product of ²³⁵U and ²³⁹Pu. After a major nuclear accident, it is released into the atmosphere and in the far field region it will produce radioactively contaminated food and drinking water. This paper will study the specific activity of ¹³⁷Cs in three Costa Rican export products: tuna fish, coffee and powdered milk. The average specific activities found are as follows: 0.89±0.41, 1.16±0.76 and 4.53±2.00 Bq kg⁻¹. They represent low values compared to their derived intervention levels: 1.25 × 10⁷, 1.25 × 10⁷ and 2.44 × 10⁵ Bq kg⁻¹, respectively.     

Rapid nucleation of diamond films by pulsed laser chemical vapor deposition

The nucleation of diamond films could be greatly enhanced on mirror-polished Si substrate by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser beam without any thermal- and plasma-assisted processes during a very short time. The nucleation density increased with decreasing laser power density from 1.38×10¹⁰ to 1.17×10⁹ W/cm² and deposition pressure from 1013 to 4 mbar. The pulsed laser beam made no contribution to enhance nucleation at substrate temperature as low as 650°C. X-ray diffraction measurements showed the (1 1 1) diffraction peak of diamond for the samples obtained using only pulsed laser during 40 min. The enhanced nucleation and growth of diamond crystallites were attributed to effective excitation of reactive gases and etching of non-diamond carbon phases by the pulsed laser beam.     

A new measurement of the weak magnetism term in the betaspectra of B and N

The betaspectra of ¹²B and ¹²N have been measured with a NaI crystal as spectrometer. Assuming a shape correction factor 1 + aW + bW² and b₋ = 1.106 × 10⁻⁴ MeV⁻², b₊ = −1.397 × 10⁻⁴ MeV⁻², the spectra yield a₋ = (+0.91 ± 0.11) × 10⁻² MeV⁻¹ and a₊ = (−0.07 ± 0.09) × 10⁻² MeV⁻. the a₋ − a₊ = (+0.98 ± 0.09) × 10⁻² MeV⁻¹ is in agreement with the weak magnetism prediction.