Tuning the Fabrication of Nanostructures by Low-Energy Highly Charged Ions

Abstract

Slow highly charged ions have been utilized recently for the creation of monotype surface nanostructures (craters, calderas, or hillocks) in different materials. In the present study, we report on the ability of slow highly charged xenon ions (^{129}Xe^{Q+}) to form three different types of nanostructures on the LiF(100) surface. By increasing the charge state from Q=15 to Q=36, the shape of the impact induced nanostructures changes from craters to hillocks crossing an intermediate stage of caldera structures. A dimensional analysis of the nanostructures reveals an increase of the height up to 1.5 nm as a function of the potential energy of the incident ions. Based on the evolution of both the geometry and size of the created nanostructures, defect-mediated desorption and the development of a thermal spike are utilized as creation mechanisms of the nanostructures at low and high charge states, respectively.

Variation of Surface Nanostructures on (100) PbS Single Crystals during Argon Plasma Treatment

“…Low-temperature ion and ion-plasma treatments are particularly attractive [12]. During interaction of ions with the surface, different surface nanostructure formation mechanisms are possible [13][14][15][16][17][18][19], which makes ion and ion-plasma techniques an important tool for surface nanostructuring. We used binary compounds of PbX and ternary solid solutions based on them as examples to show that varying inductively coupled argon plasma treatment condition enables the formation of micro-and nanostructures [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27].…”

Negative ion formation by neutral hydrogen atom grazing scattering from a LiF(100) surface

“…Most studies have focused on, for instance, ion-or electron-induced sputtering and desorption, 1 ion stimulated surface electron emission, [2][3][4] energy loss, 5 and ion induced surface nanostructures. [6][7][8][9] The charge state in scattered beams aer projectile scattering from an insulator ionic-crystal surface has received much attention. 10 Specically, the interesting phenomenon of an unexpectedly large fraction of negative ions yield by positive or neutral projectile grazing scattering from insulator alkali halide or oxide surfaces have been experimentally observed.…”

Neutralization Dynamics of Slow Highly Charged Ions in 2D Materials

“…Considering the amount of deposited energy, it may not be surprising that surface nanostructures from individual ion impacts are formed [33][34][35]. Depending on the material and the charge state, pits with desorption yields in the order of a few 1000 atoms/ion (Figure 3a), caldera-like structures ( Figure 3b) and nm-sized hillocks ( Figure 3c) are observed [33,35,36]. However, due to the nature of energy deposition, i.e., by electron transport and electronic deexcitation, only insulators and semi-conductors are prone to nanostructure formation by HCI impact [34,37].…”

“…(b) AFM image of a LiF(001) surface irradiated with 99 keV Xe 20+ ions. Crater-like structures are observable [36]. (c) AFM image of a CaF 2 (111) surface irradiated with 16.5 keV Xe 33+ ions.…”