Abstract
We report the synthesis of Pt nanoparticles and their burrowing into silicon upon irradiation of a Pt–Si thin film with medium-energy neon ions at constant fluence (1.0 × 1017 ions/cm2). Several values of medium-energy neon ions were chosen in order to vary the ratio of the electronic energy loss to the nuclear energy loss (Se/Sn) from 1 to 10. The irradiated films were characterized using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). A TEM image of a cross section of the film irradiated with Se/Sn = 1 shows ≈5 nm Pt NPs were buried up to ≈240 nm into the silicon. No silicide phase was detected in the XRD pattern of the film irradiated at the highest value of Se/Sn. The synergistic effect of the energy losses of the ion beam (molten zones are produced by Se, and sputtering and local defects are produced by Sn) leading to the synthesis and burrowing of Pt NPs is evidenced. The Pt NP synthesis mechanism and their burrowing into the silicon is discussed in detail.
Highlights
The emergence of nanotechnology has opened up new research channels in almost every field of science [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]
The silicon vacancy profile (TRIM calculation/simulation; shown in Figure 6) upon 50 keV neon ion irradiation, which seems to be responsible for the Pt diffusion, matches well with the NP distribution in the film irradiated under the same conditions
Considering the atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) measurement results, we believe that the nuclear sputtering of the Pt film takes place during ion irradiation resulting in Pt islands on the Si surface
Summary
The emergence of nanotechnology has opened up new research channels in almost every field of science [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8]. The ion irradiation of thin metallic films deposited on a suitable substrate (with lower surface energy) leads to the synthesis of metal NPs embedded into the substrate.
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