Effect of deuterium ion beam irradiation onto the mirror-like pulsed laser deposited thin films of rhodium

Abstract

The effect of deuterium ion beam irradiation on the reflectivity of mirror-like pulsed laser deposited (PLD) thin film of rhodium is reported. The deposition parameters; target-substrate distance and background helium gas pressure were optimized to obtain the good quality rhodium films, of higher thickness, oriented preferentially in (111) plane. The rhodium thin films deposited at optimum PLD parameters were exposed to 10, 20, and 30keV deuterium ion beam. The changes in surface morphology and UV–Visible–FIR reflectivity of mirror-like rhodium thin films, as a function of energy of deuterium ion beam, after exposure are reported.