Ion irradiation effects on Sb-rich GaSb films

Abstract

Here we show the formation of amorphous, non-stoichiometric GaSb films by magnetron sputtering and the ion irradiation effects on the films. GaSb films in the 20–300 nm thickness range were deposited by magnetron sputtering on SiO2/Si substrates at room temperature and subsequently irradiated with 17 MeV Au+7 ions at different fluences. Structural, compositional, and morphological characterizations were performed by means of x-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and x-ray absorption fine structure analyses. We could verify that, throughout the above-mentioned thickness range, films were amorphous, with excess Sb to the ratio 1:2 (Ga:Sb). The initially compact films attained a foam-like structure after irradiation, with significant swelling that is dependent on the initial film thickness: the thicker the film, the more it swelled. The excess Sb attained different oxidation states depending on film thickness and this influenced the final density of the films, thus influencing the swelling. The local atomic structure around Ga atoms was also investigated, revealing a decrease in Ga–Sb scattering contribution with increasing irradiation fluence, at the same time as the increase in Ga–O scattering for irradiation fluence above 1 × 1014 at/cm2 (inclusive).