The influence of radiation-induced vacancy on the formation of thin-film of compound layer during a reactive diffusion process

A theoretical approach is developed that describes the formation of a thin-film of AB-compound layer under the influence of radiation-induced vacancy. The AB-compound layer is formed as a result of a chemical reaction between the atomic species of A and B immiscible layers. The two layers are irradiated with a beam of energetic particles and this process leads to several vacant lattice sites creation in both layers due to the displacement of lattice atoms by irradiating particles. A- and B-atoms diffuse via these lattice sites by means of a vacancy mechanism in considerable amount to reaction interfaces A/AB and AB/B. The reaction interfaces increase in thickness as a result of chemical transformation between the diffusing species and surface atoms (near both layers). The compound layer formation occurs in two stages. The first stage begins as an interfacial reaction controlled process, and the second as a diffusion controlled process. The critical thickness and time are determined at a transition point between the two stages. The influence of radiation-induced vacancy on layer thickness, speed of growth, and reaction rate is investigated under irradiation within the framework of the model presented here. The result obtained shows that the layer thickness, speed of growth, and reaction rate increase strongly as the defect generation rate rises in the irradiated layers. It also shows the feasibility of producing a compound layer (especially in near-noble metal silicide considered in this study) at a temperature below their normal formation temperature under the influence of radiation.