Sputtering of compound semiconductor surfaces. II. Compositional changes and radiation-induced topography and damage

Malherbe, J.B.

doi:10.1080/10408439408244589

Cited by 71 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 383 publications

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“…This phenomenon of deep radiation damage (i.e. damage beyond the range of the ions) is also observed in Hg 1-x Cd x Te for heavy ion bombardment (see Malherbe [189] and references therein) and, especially, in fcc metals [190 -193]. A strong stress gradient is caused by the bombardment process.…”

Section: Annealing Of Radiation Damagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bombardment of SiC by ions leads to sputtering (see [234] for a review) and also to preferential sputtering [189]. Because both these effects are surface related they are most noticeable when the bombarded layer is small, i.e.…”

Section: Surface Modification Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is due to the primary collision effects of ion bombardment [189]. Noble gas ion bombardment of α-SiC and β-SiC leads to an enrichment of carbon on the surface due to the preferential sputtering of silicon from the substrate [122, 241 -250].…”

Section: Surface Modification Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diffusion of fission products and radiation damage in SiC

Malherbe

2013

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

106

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A major problem with most of the present nuclear reactors is their safety in terms of the release of radioactivity into the environment during accidents. In some of the future nuclear reactor designs, i.e. Generation IV reactors, the fuel is in the form of coated spherical particles, i.e. TRISO (acronym for Triple Coated Isotropic) particles. The main function of these coating layers is to act as diffusion barriers for radioactive fission products, thereby keeping these fission products within the fuel particles, even under accident conditions. The most important coating layer is composed of polycrystalline 3C-SiC. This paper reviews the diffusion of the important fission products (silver, caesium, iodine and strontium) in SiC. Because radiation damage can induce and enhance diffusion, the paper also briefly reviews damage created by energetic neutrons and ions at elevated temperatures, i.e. the temperatures at which the modern reactors will operate, and the annealing of the damage. The interaction between SiC and some fission products (such as Pd and I) is also briefly discussed. As shown, one of the key advantages of SiC is its radiation hardness at elevated temperatures, i.e. SiC is not amorphized by neutron or bombardment at substrate temperatures above 350°C. Based on the diffusion coefficients of the fission products considered, the review shows that at the normal operating temperatures of these new reactors (i.e. less than 950°C) the SiC coating layer is a good diffusion barrier for these fission products. However, at higher temperatures the design of the coated particles needs to be adapted, possibly by adding a thin layer of ZrC.

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Section: Annealing Of Radiation Damagementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Surface Modification Effectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Diffusion of fission products and radiation damage in SiC

Malherbe

2013

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

106

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“…Traditionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has been used to characterize the topography of surfaces before and after ion bombardment [1,2]. In recent years there had been significant advances in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with the introduction of an in-lens detector.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

SEM analysis of ion implanted SiC

Malherbe

Berg

Botha

et al. 2013

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B:

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SiC is a material used in two future energy production technologies, firstly as a photovoltaic layer to harness the UV spectrum in high efficient power solar cells, and secondly as a diffusion barrier material for radioactive fission products in the fuel elements of the next generation of nuclear power plants. For both applications, there is an interest in the implantation of reactive and nonreactive ions into SiC and their effects on the properties of the SiC. In this study 360 keV Ag + , I + and Xe + ions were separately implanted into 6H-SiC and in polycrystalline SiC at various substrate temperatures. The implanted samples were also annealed in vacuum at temperatures ranging from 900°C to 1600°C for various times. In recent years, there had been significant advances in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with the introduction of an in-lens detector combined with field emission electron guns. This allows defects in solids, such as radiation damage created by the implanted ions, to be detected with SEM. Cross-sectional SEM images of 6H-SiC wafers implanted with 360 keV Ag + ions at room temperature and at 600°C and then vacuum annealed at different temperatures revealed the implanted layers and their thicknesses. A similar result is shown of 360 keV I + ions implanted at 600°C into 6H-SiC and annealed at 1600°C. The 6H-SiC is not amorphized but remained crystalline when implanting at 600°C. There are differences in the microstructure of 6H-SiC implanted with silver at the two temperatures as well as with reactive iodine ions. Voids (bubbles) are created in the implanted layers into which the precipitation of silver and iodine can occur after annealing of the samples. The crystallinity of the substrate via implantation temperature caused differences in the distribution and size of the voids. Implantation of xenon ions in polycrystalline SiC at 350°C does not amorphize the substrate as is the case with room temperature heavy ion bombardment. Subsequent annealing of the implanted polycrystalline samples leads to increased thermal etching effects such as grain boundary grooving. Damage due to channelling (or non-channelling) in the different crystallites resulted also in differences in thermal etching in the crystallites.

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“…There is a long history (e.g., [6]) of studies concerning the explanation of the bombardment-induced surface compositional changes in oxides ( [11], [12], [13], [14] and [15]). In all these studies it was found that if there are any surface compositional changes, then oxygen was preferentially lost from the oxide surface.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stability of ZnO{0001} against low energy ion bombardment

2007

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The steady-state surface compositions of the polar (O and Zn terminated) faces of ZnO{0 0 0 1} produced by low energy (0.3-2 keV) Ar + ion bombardment were studied by Auger electron spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy. The alterations produced by the ion bombardment using different ion energies were monitored by calculating the intensity ratios of the low and high energy Zn Auger peaks (59 eV and 994 eV, respectively); Zn and O Auger peaks (59 eV and 510 eV, respectively). Based on the dependence of these ratios on the ion energy and termination of the surface, we could conclude that the stability of the Zn face is higher against the low energy argon ion bombardment-induced compositional changes than that of the O face.

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Sputtering of compound semiconductor surfaces. II. Compositional changes and radiation-induced topography and damage

Cited by 71 publications

References 383 publications

Diffusion of fission products and radiation damage in SiC

Diffusion of fission products and radiation damage in SiC

SEM analysis of ion implanted SiC

Stability of ZnO{0001} against low energy ion bombardment

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