Effect of 2 MeV W⁺ ion irradiation on the surface morphology of Sc:In:C and Zr:In:C thin films

Abstract

In this work, a comparative study of surface morphology and elemental distribution of thin films of the M:In:C (with M = Sc or Zr) ternary composites irradiated with 2 MeV W${}^{+}$ ions with fluences 10${}^{14}$ cm${}^{-2}$ and 10${}^{15}$ cm${}^{-2}$ was carried out. The films were prepared by ion beam sputtering of the M, In and C targets followed by thermal annealing in a high vacuum. The surface morphology was monitored by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and the elemental composition by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) in the regime of elastic scattering (2000 keV He${}^{+}$ ions energy) and nuclear resonant scattering (3046 and 4280 keV He${}^{+}$ ions for O and C resonances, respectively). It has been shown that both deployed modifications (thermal annealing and ion beam irradiation) seriously affect the surface morphology and the elemental distribution of both composites. It turned out that the main reason for the changes is a decrease in the content of indium in the composites, which after irradiation with a high fluence of 10${}^{15}$ cm${}^{-2}$ decreased to almost zero. It also turned out that the morphological changes take place differently in the inspected composites - more significantly in Zr:In:C, less in Sc:In:C.

Keywords:

• Ternary composites
• ion irradiation
• surface morphology

Acknowledgments

Measurements were carried out in the NPI CAS Řež laboratories of the CANAM infrastructure.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The project was supported by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (Grantová Agentura České Republiky), project No. 18-21677S.

Notes on contributors

A. Cannavò

Dr. A.Cannavò, specialist in materials science, plasma physics and nuclear analytical methods, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rez, CR.

J. Vacik

Dr. J. Vacik, expert in nuclear analytical methods and materials science, group leader, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rez, CR.

V. Lavrentiev

Dr. V. Lavrentiev, expert in materials science, nuclear analytical methods, atomic force microscopy, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rez, CR.

G. Ceccio

Dr. G. Ceccio, specialist in materials science, plasma physics and nuclear analytical methods, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rez, CR.

P. Horak

Dr. P. Horak, specialist in materials science, deposition techniques, ion beam analytical methods, Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rez, CR.

S. Vasi

Dr. S. Vasi, expert in experimental physics of matter and applied physics, MIFT Department, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.

S. Bakardjieva

Dr. S. Bakardjieva, expert in microscopic analysis and materials science, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rez, CR.