Application Of Ion Beam Techniques Research Articles

A Review of Recent Applications of Ion Beam Techniques on Nanomaterial Surface Modification: Design of Nanostructures and Energy Harvesting.

Nanomaterials have gained plenty of research interest because of their excellent performance, which is derived from their small size and special structure. In practical applications, to acquire nanomaterials with high performance, many methods have been used to modulate the structure and components of materials. To date, ion beam techniques have extensively been applied for modulating the performance of various nanomaterials. Energetic ion beams can modulate the surface morphology and chemical components of nanomaterials. In addition, ion beam techniques have also been used to fabricate nanomaterials, including 2D materials, nanoparticles, and nanowires. Compared with conventional methods, ion beam techniques, including ion implantation, ion irradiation, and focused ion beam, are all pure physical processes; these processes do not introduce any impurities into the target materials. In addition, ion beam techniques exhibit high controllability and repeatability. Here, recent progress in ion beam techniques for nanomaterial surface modification is systematically summarized and existing challenges and potential solutions are presented.

Use of micro-proton elastic scattering analysis to determine water content in geological powders

Hydrogen in the form of water (H2O), hydroxyl anion (OH−) and H2 is a pervasive component in minerals, affecting geochemical processes from the surface of the earth to its deep interior and the geophysical and rheological properties of the rock. To investigate the application of ion beam techniques to the measurement of structural water (OH− and H2O), purified mineral separates, volcanic glass and synthetic borosilicate glass with known total structural water contents were selected. Mineral and glass particles <50μm in diameter and thickness, were deposited onto Teflon filters and scanned with a focussed 2.5MeV proton beam. Hydrogen was measured using proton elastic scattering analysis and converted to total H2O. Heavier elements were detected via Proton-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). Measurements were conducted in high vacuum to detect bound water only. The water content measurements for the minerals measured showed very good agreement with bulk water measurements and literature values. This method can be used successfully to noninvasively determine the hydrogen content of individual mineral particles with >1% total water contents.

Ion implantation techniques for non-electronic applications

Ion implantation techniques have been used to improve surface properties for over more than four decades. Metallurgical application of ion beam techniques was first reported in the 70s by Harwell laboratory (UK), and by the Naval Research Laboratory (USA), mainly focused to nitrogen implantation of steels. From those first results to today ion implantation techniques have been introduced in many different applications for industrial sectors such as the aeronautical and biomedical. This paper presents some of the most important actual applications of ion implantation techniques. Different strategies of conventional Ion Implantation (II), Low energy-High Temperature Ion Implantation (LEHT), and Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation (PIII) are studied and compared in terms of modified surface properties and industrial application niches. Furthermore, the reported results show how these different treatments have a big potential for research in smart and nano-functional surfaces in applications including biomaterials and many other specific developments.

Future Directions for Ion Beam Technology and Research: Forum Report

ABSTRACTAs an integral part of the Symposium on "Ion Beams - Applications from Nanoscale to Mesoscale" at the MRS Spring 2011 Meeting, participants were invited to join two open “brainstorming” Forum Discussions, intended to highlight opportunities for application of ion beam techniques in advancing the frontiers of materials research and making high impact contributions to solving some of the world’s major issues for the future. Participants were invited to imagine freely how the field might develop (or be steered) in the next 5-10 years, in the light of the current state of the art, and in the light of the emerging needs of the global community.The resulting ideas and suggestions led to thoughtful discussions, that displayed a remarkable degree of consensus on future directions, opportunities and challenges for the field. This paper attempts to capture and report briefly the spectrum of ideas and the recommended priorities that emerged from the resulting discussions.

Control of interface properties, layer quality and interdiffusion in selected nanoscaled heterostructures

Applications of ion beam techniques (IBA and IBMM) on nanoscaled thin films of selected materials (e.g. magnetite Fe 3 O 4, uranium nitride UN) are presented. 1 MeV Ar + and Kr + ion beam with different ion fluences in the range of 1015–1017 ions cm −2 have been used to modify the film interfaces. Selected heterostructure interfaces were treated by subsequent thermal annealing. By analyzing the results obtained for the films in three different states (as-deposition, after annealing and after ion irradiation), the effects of ion beam mixing and interdiffusion were determined.

Ion beam sputter coating of three-dimensional objects: rings, cylinders, and tubes

Ion beam techniques as a surface modification and coating technique offer some advantages such as excellent controllability, versatility, and low process temperature. However, they suffer from a basic limitation, their line-of-sight character. Only the part of an object, which is turned towards the ion beam, can be treated properly. This is one of the reasons why the application of ion beam techniques to three-dimensional objects is quite limited. If one would like to take advantage of, as an example, the low process temperature of ion beam techniques for treatment of temperature-sensitive materials, but the objects were three-dimensional, special sample manipulators and/or ion beam guiding elements had to be used. However, in some cases comparatively simple set-ups can be used when they are especially designed for the substrate to be coated. The present paper describes different apparatus for ion beam sputter coating of rings, cylinders and tubes. They use conical sputter targets, which are placed inside the objects. In case of cylinders and tubes, a beam of energetic ions enters the object to be coated along its axis, impinges onto the target and sputters atoms onto the inner walls. In case of rings, in addition to the inner conical sputter target an outer hollow cone is used. Thus, the ring is completely covered. Rings, cylinders and tubes of aluminum and an aluminum alloy were coated at temperatures below 200 °C with several 10–100 nm thick protective films of carbon, niobium and aluminum. Electrochemical polarization measurements in sodium chloride solution showed that the coatings lead to a reduction in pitting corrosion which aluminum suffers from in aqueous media in the presence of aggressive anions.

Application of ion beams for preparation of TiO 2 thin film photocatalysts operatable under visible light irradiation: Ion-assisted deposition and metal ion-implantation

The visible light sensitive TiO 2 thin film photocatalysts can be developed by the application of ion beam techniques, i.e. the combination of an ion-assisted deposition (IAD) method and a metal ion-implantation. The transparent TiO 2 thin film photocatalysts have been prepared on silica glass plate by the IAD method. Then the transition metal ions (V +) were implanted into the TiO 2 thin films at high energy acceleration using a metal ion-implantation technique to improve the electronic properties of the TiO 2 thin film to be able to work effectively as photocatalysts under visible light ( λ>450 nm) and/or solar light irradiation. The investigation using X-ray absorption fine structure analysis and ab initio molecular calculation suggest that the substitution of octahedrally coordinated Ti ions in TiO 2 lattice with implanted metal ions (V +) is important to modify TiO 2 to be able to adsorb visible light and operate under visible light irradiation.

Application of ion beam techniques in superconducting electronics

In superconducting electronics ion beams are used traditionally in deposition of thin films by magnetron sputtering and in patterning films by dry ion etching. By means of ion implantation one can fabricate also weak links (Josephson junction) from high- T c materials. If multiple ion implantation with different energy and doses is used, it is possible to improve ion implanted high critical temperature weak links either by creating a homogeneous profile or by forming a conducting channel inside the film. In this paper we present investigation of the properties of oxygen ion modified YBCO films intended to be used as barriers in HT c Josephson junctions by optical methods and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and channelling.

Application of ion beam techniques for preparation of metal ion-implanted TiO2 thin film photocatalyst available under visible light irradiation: metal ion-implantation and ionized cluster beam method.

Transparent TiO2 thin film photocatalysts have been prepared on silica glass plate by an Ionized Cluster Beam (ICB) method. In order to improve the electronic properties of these photocatalysts, transition metal ions (V+, Cr+, Mn+, Fe+) were implanted into the TiO2 thin films at high energy acceleration using an advanced metal ion-implantation technique. The combination of these ion beam techniques can allow us to prepare the TiO2 thin film photocatalysts which can work effectively under visible light (lambda>450 nm) and/or solar light irradiation. The investigation using XAFS and ab initio molecular calculation suggests that the substitution of octahedrally coordinated Ti ions in TiO2 lattice with implanted metal ions is important to modify TiO2 to be able to adsorb visible light and operate under visible light irradiation.

Application of ion beam techniques for amorphization and analysis of thin films : G. Linker. Vacuum36(7–9), 493 (1986)

Application of ion beam techniques for amorphization and analysis of thin films : G. Linker. Vacuum36(7–9), 493 (1986)

Application of ion beam techniques for amorphization and analysis of thin films

High dose ion implantation or irradiation of metals may lead to amorphization depending on the ion-target system under consideration. Some advantages of the application of ion beam techniques in amorphization studies are outlined. The experimental techniques used in thin film amorphization studies like film preparation, ion bombardment, backscattering and thin film X-ray diffraction analysis are described. Examples of amorphization studies are given for irradiation of elements (Ga) and compounds (Nb 3 Ir) and binary alloys produced by successive implantation (B and P in Nb, B in Mo). The continuous observation of the amorphization process by implantation allows a direct comparison with theoretical amorphization models. The examples show that strain accumulation appears as an important prerequisite for the transition into the amorphous state.

Application of Ion Beam Techniques to the Study of Glass Durability: Enhanced Dissolution in Saline and Radiation Effects

ABSTRACTNuclear reaction analysis, Rutherford backscattering and ion implantation techniques are applied to the study of the reaction between glass and aqueous solutions. The use of these techniques is described as are some of the results obtained. Solutions of NaCl are seen to etch some glasses several orders of magnitude faster than distilled water. Radiation damage created by high energy heavy ion bombardment is seen to have great effects on the penetration of hydrogen (water) into glass.

Principles and applications of ion beam techniques for the analysis of solids and thin films

This paper reviews in principle and by examples how a collimated mono-energetic and mono-atomic beam incident on a target provides information on its structure and composition when the energy of the back-scattered beam atoms, or of the particles generated by nuclear reactions, is analyzed. Examples are selected with particular emphasis on thin films and Si technology. For convenience, we define three different energy ranges of the incident beam (low energies from 1 to 6 keV, medium energies from 100 to 500 keV and high energies from 1 to 2 MeV) and discuss each range separately, according to the following table of contents.

Ion beam processing of glass surfaces

The application of ion beam techniques to surface machining and the surface properties of glass is discussed. Particular reference is made to the feasibility of this work with commercially available apparatus. Also included is a brief review of the relevant theory, and some experimental results. Ion beam processing can not only achieve a surface finish but can also improve surface polish.