Cluster formation by the precise joining of iron oxide nanoparticles on low energy nitrogen ion irradiation

Abstract

In this work, we have studied low-energy (5 keV) nitrogen ion-induced modification of the surface of iron oxide nanoparticles. The iron oxide nanoparticles were spin-coated on a silicon substrate. The thin films of iron oxide nanoparticles were irradiated at two different ion fluences of 1 × 10¹⁶ and 3 × 10¹⁶ ions cm⁻², respectively. At a fluence of 1 × 10¹⁶ ions cm⁻², the nanoparticles incline to join with each other forming small clusters which can be attributable due to Ostwald ripening because of the ion-induced defects. At higher fluence of 3 × 10¹⁶ ions cm⁻², large nanoclusters are formed due to coalescence. We have investigated the morphological and structural properties of both the pristine and altered surface in detail to understand the cluster formation. We anticipate that such reformed surfaces can be beneficial to enhance the surface plasmon resonance.

KEYWORDS:

• Cluster formation
• ion irradiation
• TRI3DYN
• iron oxide nanoparticles

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge Prof. Moller, HZDR, Germany for his support on TRI3DYN simulation. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Arpita Patro

Arpita Patro is a Ph.D. research scholar in Department of Physics at Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha, India. Specifically, she is interested in studying the effects of ion irradiation on various nanomaterials. She finished her Master's degree using a BIOVIA simulation-based domain project. She has published one SCI indexed journal and a book chapter. Her research area includes synthesis of various nanomaterials and the surface modification of those materials using ion irradiation. 

Smruti Ranjan Nayak

Smruti Ranjan Nayak is currently working as an Asst. Professor in Electronics and Communication Engineering, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha. He has completed his MTech in Communication System Engineering from Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha. He has published in five international journals. His research is focussed on materials for Solar PV Technology. 

Manoj Rajbhar

Manoj Kumar Rajbhar is currently pursuing his PhD at the Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar in the field of ion-solid interaction. His research interest falls in the interdisciplinary areas of low energy ion beam modification of functional nanomaterials for sensing and energy storage applications. His primary expertise is to prepare 1D ceramic oxides and 2D-Transition metal dichalcogenides through chemical routes and modify them suitably to enhance sensing and energy storage performance. He has built expertise in various simulation techniques such as Monte Carlo-based SRIM and TRI3DYN ion-solid interaction simulation, DFT simulation, MATLAB, etc. He has presented his work at several national and international conferences and has published paper in renowned journals. 

Shyamal Chatterjee

Dr. Shyamal Chatterjee is currently Associate Professor in Physics at IIT Bhubaneswar, India. He has about 18 years of research experience in accelerator-based physics and technologies and currently working in the field of sensors using ion beam modified nanostructured materials. He has successfully supervised 4 PhD scholars in this field. He has so far published 55+ in reputed international journals and filed 2 patents. He has received several prestigious recognitions, which include BASE fellowship award from Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (2018), Indo-Australia Science and Technology Fellowship award (2013) and DAAD fellowship from Germany (2012) during his tenure at IIT Bhubaneswar. He has also received guest faculty positions from HZDR, Germany (2015, 2017) and University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, USA (2012) respectively. He was awarded Best Young Physicist Award (SN Ghosal award) from Indian Physical Society, SINP, Kolkata in 2009. 

Satyanarayan Dhal

Dr. Satyanarayan Dhal is an Associate Professor of Physics at Centurion University of Technology and Management. He also holds the position of “Center of New Materials” Research Center Coordinator. He received his doctorate from IIT Bhubaneswar in the field of ion-nanomaterial interactions. He has 11 SCI publications in reputable international journals, two patent applications, and two book chapters to his credit. He has supervised six M.Sc. projects and is currently supervising one PhD student in the field of ion beam modification and nanostructured material applications. Dr. Dhal has presented two oral papers at international conferences in India and abroad. He has received several prestigious honours, including the Ganesh Mishra Memorial Award from the Institution of Engineers in India and a travel grant from the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA in order to deliver a lecture in Versailles, France.