Chemical effect of N2+ implantation into iron, nickel and aluminium thin films

Abstract

Polycrystalline thin films of iron, nickel and aluminium were bombarded with N2+ ions with energies from 15 to 50 keV up to doses ranging from 1 × 1016 to 1.2 × 1018 ions cm−2 at room temperature. The implantation resulted in the formation of nitrides of both iron and nickel, as indicated by high voltage transmission electron microscopy and selected area diffraction patterns. No AlN phase could, however, be detected up to the implantation energy of 50 keV and dose of 1.2 × 1018 ions cm−2. The minimum energy and dose required for inducing compound formation in iron and nickel as well as the stability of the nitride phase have been investigated.