Beam Deposition Research Articles

In Situ Surface Exsolution of Chang'e-5 Lunar Soil Architected by the Trinity Effect of Electron Beam.

It is known that the interaction between electron beam and material surface enables a variety of physical phenomena, which hold significant inspiration for functional application. Herein, the process of insitu surface exsolution was observed and documented for the basalt phase in the Chang'e-5 lunar samples via scanning electron microscopy. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis confirmed the main existence of metal oxides such as plagioclase and pyroxene. Under electron beam irradiation, these components have undergone insitu dynamic mass loss and radiation decomposition, leading to an interesting insitu surface exsolution, as the energy of the electron beam exceeds the dissociation energy of metal-oxide bonds. It is clarified that the thermal effect of the electron beam is negligible under the experimental conditions. Alternatively, the "trinity" of electron beam-induced electric field-radiolysis-electron beam deposition is the key factor driving the surface exsolution. Our result not only deepens our understanding of the physical and chemical properties of lunar soil but also lays the groundwork for future applications of lunar soil for functional application.

Production of mixed phase Ti3+-rich TiO2 thin films by oxide defect engineered crystallization.

Amorphous TiO2 has insufficient chemical stability that can be enhanced with annealing induced crystallization. However, the crystalline structure is already predetermined by the defect composition of the amorphous phase. In this paper, we demonstrate that the oxide defects, i.e., oxygen vacancies and Ti3+ states, can be created by O2 deficiency during ion-beam sputter deposition without affecting the O/Ti ratio of TiO2. The films are thus stoichiometric containing a variable degree of interstitial O instead of lattice O. Defect-free TiO2 crystallizes into microcrystalline anatase during vacuum annealing, whereas a moderate number density of defects causes crystallization into nanocrystalline rutile. An excessive number density of defects results in a mixed amorphous/nanocrystalline rutile phase that was analyzed by near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. The number density of defects did not affect the crystallization temperature, which was 400 °C. All crystalline films, including the mixed amorphous/nanocrystalline rutile phase, were chemically stable in 1.0 M NaOH for 80 h. Unlike annealing treatments in oxidizing environments that are typically applied to improve stability, vacuum annealing improves the stability preserving also the Ti3+ gap states that are critical to the charge transfer in protective TiO2-based photoelectrode coatings.

Writing with Mass-Selected Ions Using a Dynamic Field Wien Filter.

We have designed and constructed a low-cost Wien filter based on strong permanent magnets and integrated it into an ion soft-landing instrument to enable parallel deposition as well as one- and two-dimensional surface patterning of mass-selected ions using dynamic fields. We show the capabilities of this device for separating ions from a multicomponent high-flux continuous ion beam and simultaneous deposition of ions of different mass-to-charge ratios onto discrete locations on a surface. When a dynamic electric field is applied parallel to the magnetic field, ions are deposited in one-dimensional arrays, laterally separated by mass. The field's strength, frequency, and waveform type determine both the lengths of the arrays and the density of ions across the 1-D pattern. Additionally, a second dynamic field from user-defined waveforms orthogonal to the magnetic field enables two-dimensional surface patterning of ions while maintaining mass separation. These experiments demonstrate the practical utility of a Wien filter for the controlled fabrication of interfaces with arbitrary patterns of mass-selected ions.

Scanning Probe Microscopy Characterization of Biomolecules enabled by Mass-Selective, Soft-landing Electrospray Ion Beam Deposition.

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM), in particular at low temperature (LT) under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions, offers the possibility of real-space imaging with resolution reaching the atomic level. However, its potential for the analysis of complex biological molecules has been hampered by requirements imposed by sample preparation. Transferring molecules onto surfaces in UHV is typically accomplished by thermal sublimation in vacuum. This approach however is limited by the thermal stability of the molecules, i. e. not possible for biological molecules with low vapour pressure. Bypassing this limitation, electrospray ionisation offers an alternative method to transfer molecules from solution to the gas-phase as intact molecular ions. In soft-landing electrospray ion beam deposition (ESIBD), these molecular ions are subsequently mass-selected and gently landed on surfaces which permits large and thermally fragile molecules to be analyzed by LT-UHV SPM. In this concept, we discuss how ESIBD+SPM prepares samples of complex biological molecules at a surface, offering controls of the molecular structural integrity, three-dimensional shape, and purity. These achievements unlock the analytical potential of SPM which is showcased by imaging proteins, peptides, DNA, glycans, and conjugates of these molecules, revealing details of their connectivity, conformation, and interaction that could not be accessed by any other technique.

Nacre-inspired hierarchical bionic substrate for enhanced thermal and mechanical stability in flexible applications

Flexible substrates, essential for flexible electronics by providing support and flexibility while influencing sensor stability, still face challenges in achieving mechanical and thermal stability, particularly in large-scale production and cost control. Inspired by the nacre's “brick-and-mortar” hierarchical microstructure, this study introduces PPSN (paper/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/Si₃N₄ nanoparticles), a novel flexible substrate that mimics the “brick-and-mortar” structure. PPSN, with its topological interlocking and assembly technique, provides excellent thermal and mechanical stability, including high-temperature resistance and stress dissipation. An optimized Si₃N₄ content of 1.0 wt% yields a peak elastic modulus of 1245.27 MPa while maintaining hydrophobicity, with a contact angle of 127.1° at 3.0 wt%. The substrate shows excellent fatigue durability, retaining its morphology after 10,000 bending cycles. Thermal analysis indicates a stable CTE below 20 ppm/°C up to 300°C, rising to 200 ppm/°C between 350 and 400°C. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) reveal minimal thermal decomposition with mass loss below 0.5 % from 25 to 300°C and under 3 % at 400°C. Additionally, electrodes were printed on the substrate using screen printing and ion beam deposition (IBD), demonstrating good material adhesion. A flexible temperature sensor was fabricated and exhibited good sensitivity and stability with a TCR of −0.262 % °C⁻¹. PPSN advances traditional materials with superior mechanical strength, thermal stability, and durability, offering significant scientific and practical value for flexible electronics and low-cost biomimetic processes.

Magnetic contrast layers with functional SiO2 coatings for soft-matter studies with polarized neutron reflectometry

This study introduces silicon substrates with a switchable magnetic contrast layer (MCL) for polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR) experiments at the solid–liquid interface to study soft-matter surface layers. During standard neutron reflectometry (NR) experiments on soft-matter samples, structural and compositional information is obtained by collecting experimental data with different isotopic contrasts on the same sample. This approach is normally referred to as contrast matching, and it can be achieved by using solvents with different isotopic contrast, e.g. different H2O/D2O ratios, and/or by selective deuteration of the molecules. However, some soft-matter systems might be perturbed by this approach, or it might be difficult to implement, particularly in the case of biological samples. In these scenarios, solid substrates with an MCL are an appealing alternative, as the magnetic contrast with the substrate can be used for partial recovery of information on the sample structure. More specifically, in this study, a magnetically soft Fe layer coated with SiO2 was produced by ion-beam sputter deposition on silicon substrates of different sizes. The structure was evaluated using X-ray reflectometry, atomic force microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and PNR. The collected data showed the high quality and repeatability of the MCL parameters, regardless of the substrate size or the thickness of the capping SiO2 layer. Previously proposed substrates with an iron MCL used an Au capping layer. The SiO2 capping layer proposed here allows reproduction of the typical surface of a standard silicon substrate used for NR experiments and is compatible with a large variety of soft-matter samples. This application is demonstrated with ready-to-use 50 × 50 × 10 mm substrates in PNR experiments for the characterization of a lipid bilayer in a single solvent contrast. Overall, the article highlights the potential of PNR with an MCL for the investigation of soft-matter samples.

Enhanced Pressure Response of Edge-Deposited Graphene Nanomechanical Resonators.

Nanomechanical resonators made of suspended graphene exhibit high sensitivity to pressure changes. Nevertheless, the graphene resonator pressure performance is affected owing to the gas permeation problem between the graphene film and the substrate. Therefore, we prepared edge-deposited graphene resonators by focused ion beam (FIB) deposition of SiO2, and their gas leakage velocities and pressure-sensing ability were demonstrated. In this paper, we characterize the pressure-sensing response and gas leakage velocities of graphene membranes using an all-optical actuation system. The gas leakage velocities of graphene resonators with diameters of 10, 20, and 40 μm are reduced by 5.0 × 106, 2.0 × 107, and 8.1 × 107 atoms/s, respectively, which demonstrates that the edge deposition structure can reduce the gas leakage of the resonator. Furthermore, the pressure-sensing performance of three graphene resonators with different diameters was evaluated, and their average pressure sensitivities were calculated to be 3.4, 2.4, and 1.9 kHz/kPa, with the largest full-range hysteresis errors of 0.6, 0.7, and 1.0%, respectively. The temperature stabilities of the three sizes of resonators in the temperature range of 300-400 K are 0.016, 0.015, and 0.016%/K, and the maximum resonance frequency drift over 1 h is 0.0058, 0.0048, and 0.0112%, respectively. This work has great significance for the improvement of gas leakage velocity characterization of graphene membrane and graphene resonant pressure sensor performance optimization.

Acriflavine Is More than It Seems: Resolving Optical Properties of Multiple Isomeric Constituents at 5 K.

Ion mobility spectrometry at room temperature was combined with vibrationally resolved electronic spectroscopy of mass-selected ions at 5 K to study the well-known cationic fluorophore acriflavine. One- and two-color photodepletion action spectra recorded in gas-phase (by helium tagging) as well as dispersed fluorescence spectra obtained in neon matrix (after soft-landing deposition) indicate that the primary cation mass electrosprayed from solution comprises two isomers with different optical properties. Theory at the TD-DFT level allowed full spectral assignment. The results have implications for the preparation of novel thin film photonic materials by low-energy ion beam deposition.

Microstructural characterization of nanocrystalline hexagonal boron nitride thin films deposited by ion-beam assisted pulsed laser deposition

In recent years, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) thin films have garnered considerable attention across various fields, including electronics, anti-corrosion coatings, tribology, and optoelectronics. Boron nitride films produced via physical vapor deposition typically result in amorphous microstructure and suffer from issues such as cracking and delamination. The synthesis of crystalline hBN thin films typically demands higher processing temperatures, toxic gas precursors, and catalytic metal substrates. Hence, this research aims to produce crystalline hBN films at relatively lower temperatures without toxic gas precursors. hBN thin films were deposited on silicon (100) substrates at 600 °C using an ion beam-assisted pulsed laser deposition. The study explores the microstructural evolution and surface morphology of deposited films under different Ar:N2 gas mixtures (ranging from 0% to 100% N2) and varying ion beam energies (from 0 to 400 eV). Microstructural analysis showed the hBN nanocrystallite formation in films deposited with N2 content of 50% and higher and an ion beam energy equal to or exceeding 200 eV, and the crystallite size was measured to be ∼24±8 nm. Raman spectra, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy confirm the presence of hBN phase in as-deposited films. Films deposited with an N2 content of ≥50% and ion beam energy of ≥200 eV showed improved crystallinity, increased island size, and density of hBN nanocrystallites. The addition of ion bombardment comparatively made films rougher due to grain growth and formation of larger hBN nanoislands, and surface roughness increased with an increase in N2 content and ion beam energy. The results indicate that the ion beam bombardment facilitates nanograin formation and improves the crystallinity of hBN films even at lower deposition temperatures, offering the promise of advancing their use into practical applications across various fields.

Raman scattering spectroscopy of micrometer-sized carbon serpentines

The stability of carbon-based films is greatly influenced by their intrinsic stress and by the film−substrate interaction that, in certain cases, can induce the formation of micrometer-sized patterns. The study of these patterns (henceforth, C-serpentines) provides important information regarding the mechanical properties of C-films and, hence, has motivated several investigations. However, most of these efforts originate from microscope-based techniques in which the bond structure details of the C-serpentines are not taken into account. The importance of C-films in practical applications and the absence of Raman spectroscopy studies about C-serpentines form the basis of this paper. Accordingly, this work presents a thorough investigation of a C-film (as deposited by ion-beam deposition) onto the C-serpentine and nearby, as obtained by Raman scattering spectroscopy. Based on the experimental results it is possible to state that, contrary to the C-film (that is made of very small graphite crystallites), the regions occupied by the C-serpentine correspond to larger crystallites (typically ≥100 nm). Also, the results show that the C-serpentine is less stressed, which is in agreement with its crystallite size as well as with the accepted models that explain the C-serpentine formation.

Friction and wear behavior of C implanted copper via ion beam-assisted bombardment

This work modified the surface of copper using physical vapor deposition and investigated the wear behavior of the modified copper at low load and sliding speed. The results of the study showed that the adhesion between the thin film prepared using the ion beam deposition technique and the substrate was insufficient, leading to an increased wear rate of copper after surface modification. However, when carbon particles were injected using ion beam-assisted bombardment, the friction properties of copper were significantly improved, with a decrease in wear rate from 1.6 × 10−4 to 8 × 10−6 mm3/N m and a 40% reduction in friction coefficient. This improvement can be attributed to the amorphous carbon layer on the copper surface, as well as the injection of carbon particles into the substrate, which enhanced the adhesion between the film and the substrate. Furthermore, a continuous copper oxide film formed during the friction and wear process, providing lubrication and protection to the substrate in conjunction with the amorphous carbon layer. Additionally, the primary wear mechanism of copper shifted from abrasive and adhesive wear to oxidation wear after ion beam-assisted bombardment with carbon injection. This study provides new insights and methods for material design and engineering applications by investigating the effects of ion beam-assisted bombardment technology on the wear resistance of copper materials.

Non-stoichiometric silicon nitride for future gravitational wave detectors

Silicon nitride thin films were deposited at room temperature employing a custom ion beam deposition (IBD) system. The stoichiometry of these films was tuned by controlling the nitrogen gas flow through the ion source and a process gas ring. A correlation is established between the process parameters, such as ion beam voltage and ion current, and the optical and mechanical properties of the films based on post-deposition heat treatment. The results show that with increasing heat treatment temperature, the mechanical loss of these materials as well as their optical absorption decreases producing films with an extinction coefficient as low as k=6.2(±0.5)×10−7 at 1064 nm for samples annealed at 900 ∘C. This presents the lowest value for IBD SiN x within the context of gravitational wave detector applications. The mechanical loss of the films was measured to be ϕ=2.1(±0.6)×10−4 once annealed post deposition to 900 ∘C.

The robust superlubricity behaviors of a-C:H films on different roughness interfaces at surface contact scale

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) film has demonstrated superlubricity in previous studies, but its effectiveness may be limited when applied to engineering components with surface contact and non-ideal smoothness. In this work, four kinds of plane contact friction pairs with different surface roughness (roughness of Sa from 21 nm to 544 nm) were designed and coated with a-C:H film with 43% hydrogen content by ionized beam deposition method. The results demonstrate that the film exhibits exceptional lubrication performance across various roughness interfaces, with the minimum friction coefficient reaching 0.005. The graphitization process and the actual contact state are discussed and calculated. These findings offer valuable insights into the potential application of highly-hydrogenated a-C:H film for moving parts in industrial equipment.

Stress mechanism analysis by finite element method for different dielectric films deposited with ion-beam assisted deposition on flexible substrates

In this study, an investigation was made into the optical and stress properties of four dielectric films: silicon dioxide (SiO2), titanium dioxide (TiO2), tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) and niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5). This was because they are commonly used in the optoelectronic and semiconductor devices. The classification of these stress properties includes tensor & compressive, thermal & intrinsic, and principal & shearing. The stress mechanism of these dielectric films deposited on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate (PC) flexible substrates with ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD) was investigated by the finite element method (FEM). Meanwhile, the equivalent room temperature (ERT) of FEM was used for the analysis of the intrinsic stresses, and then the methods of home-made phase-shifting shadow moiré interferometer and Mohr circle were employed to analyze the anisotropic principal and shearing stresses. The results demonstrated that the residual stress of these dielectric films could get broken on the PC flexible substrate. However, only all of the SiO2/PC films were measured. Also, the residual stress on PET flexible substrate could change from the tensile stress to the compressive one when the thickness of the film increased. However, only all of the Ta2O5/PET films got compressed when the film thickness increased. Therefore, the anisotropic stress of the four dielectric films on the PET substrate suggests that both the maximum principal and shearing stresses should be Ta2O5>TiO2≥Nb2O5>SiO2. They are proportion to Q (elastic-energy/mole). The FEM method combined with the high-order polynomial fitting curvature could obtain the intrinsic stress and yield the error within 2.47 %.

About the damage mechanisms of thin targets exposed to high-power particle beams

Thin targets, in the forms of wires, stripes, or foils, are often used in accelerators to measure the properties of particle beams. Motivations for a small thickness, typically between several and hundred micrometers, are diverse. The minuscule diameter of a wire allows for precision measurement because it is probing a small fraction of the beam’s transverse profile. In case of high-power beams, the important rationale is also a small energy which beam deposits in the target and a good cooling because of a large surface-to-volume ratio. In certain beam conditions, the temperature of the target is still very high and leads to wire damage. This paper presents detailed analysis of ductile breakage of a molybdenum wire and gives a short overview of other damage mechanisms for various materials.

ADVANCEMENT IN NANOSCALE ELECTRONICS IN MOSFET

This research explores a novel approach for designing Cylindrical Surrounding Double-Gate (CSDG) MOSFETs with nanometer-scale precision through a layer- by-layer fabrication technique. Traditional top- down methods, such as photolithography and ion beam deposition, are widely used for semiconductor design but present challenges in creating complex heterostructures. In response, this study proposes an alternative method focusing on cylindrical structures to develop high- resolution morphological designs of CSDG MOSFETsThe research emphasizes the versatility of the proposed method, allowing the design of various cylindricalstructures with distinct properties, including periodic and non-periodic arrangements, symmetric andasymmetric configurations, and nanometer-scale gaps/dots. The focus is on the development of a symmetricCSDG MOSFET concerning the center core, providing valuable insights for fabricating structures over thecore of 2D Electron Gas (2DEG). Keywords— Cylindrical Surrounding Double-Gate MOSFET, Fabrication Steps Layer-by-Layer Approach Semiconductor Devices,Nanoscale Electronics ,Transistor Design ,Oxidation Process, Scalability, Simulation ,Oxidant Concentration.

Molecular sensitised probe for amino acid recognition within peptide sequences

The combination of low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopy with a mass-selective electro-spray ion-beam deposition established the investigation of large biomolecules at nanometer and sub-nanometer scale. Due to complex architecture and conformational freedom, however, the chemical identification of building blocks of these biopolymers often relies on the presence of markers, extensive simulations, or is not possible at all. Here, we present a molecular probe-sensitisation approach addressing the identification of a specific amino acid within different peptides. A selective intermolecular interaction between the sensitiser attached at the tip-apex and the target amino acid on the surface induces an enhanced tunnelling conductance of one specific spectral feature, which can be mapped in spectroscopic imaging. Density functional theory calculations suggest a mechanism that relies on conformational changes of the sensitiser that are accompanied by local charge redistributions in the tunnelling junction, which, in turn, lower the tunnelling barrier at that specific part of the peptide.

Physical-Vapor-Deposited Metal Oxide Thin Films for pH Sensing Applications: Last Decade of Research Progress.

In the last several decades, metal oxide thin films have attracted significant attention for the development of various existing and emerging technological applications, including pH sensors. The mandate for consistent and precise pH sensing techniques has been increasing across various fields, including environmental monitoring, biotechnology, food and agricultural industries, and medical diagnostics. Metal oxide thin films grown using physical vapor deposition (PVD) with precise control over film thickness, composition, and morphology are beneficial for pH sensing applications such as enhancing pH sensitivity and stability, quicker response, repeatability, and compatibility with miniaturization. Various PVD techniques, including sputtering, evaporation, and ion beam deposition, used to fabricate thin films for tailoring materials' properties for the advanced design and development of high-performing pH sensors, have been explored worldwide by many research groups. In addition, various thin film materials have also been investigated, including metal oxides, nitrides, and nanostructured films, to make very robust pH sensing electrodes with higher pH sensing performance. The development of novel materials and structures has enabled higher sensitivity, improved selectivity, and enhanced durability in harsh pH environments. The last decade has witnessed significant advancements in PVD thin films for pH sensing applications. The combination of precise film deposition techniques, novel materials, and surface functionalization strategies has led to improved pH sensing performance, making PVD thin films a promising choice for future pH sensing technologies.

Anisotropic stress mechanisms for different dielectric multi-layer films deposited by ion-beam assisted deposition on flexible substrates

This study simulates and tests various prototype multi-layer films on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate (PC) substrates. The optical and stress response properties of three commonly used optoelectronic anti-reflector (AR) coatings (TiO2/SiO2)2, (Ta2O5/SiO2)2 and (Nb2O5/SiO2)2 were determined. A lab-designed phase-shifting shadow moiré interferometer and Mohr circle approach were used to collect and interpret data. Results showed that the refractive indices of the four different dielectric films were 2.24(TiO2) > 2.23(Nb2O5) > 2.1(Ta2O5) > 1.44(SiO2). The transmittances of the three different AR coatings, in decreasing order, were 95.28%(Ta2O5/SiO2)2 > 94.86%(TiO2/SiO2)2 > 94.03%(Nb2O5/SiO2)2. The maximum shear stress of three different AR coatings, in decreasing size, were (Nb2O5/SiO2)2 > (Ta2O5/SiO2)2 > (TiO2/SiO2)2, for both the PET and PC substrate; however, the maximum principal stresses of three different AR coatings were tensors for the PET substrate, and compressive for the PC substrate. The principal stresses recorded were -916 MPa (Nb2O5/SiO2)2 > 438 MPa (Ta2O5/SiO2)2 > 346 MPa (TiO2/SiO2)2 for PET, and -951 MPa (Nb2O5/SiO2)2 > -838 MPa (Ta2O5/SiO2)2 > -766 MPa (TiO2/SiO2)2 for PC. The different elasticity moduli (ΔE) and relative elasticity between the different film layers may potentially be used to mitigate stress relief in multilayer coatings.

Engineering buffer layers to improve temperature resilience of magnetic tunnel junction sensors

Improving the thermal resilience of magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) broadens their applicability as sensing devices and is necessary to ensure their operation under harsh environments. In this work, we are address the impact of temperature on the degradation of the magnetic reference in field sensor stacks based on MgO-MTJs. Our study starts by simple MnIr/CoFe bilayers to gather enough insights into the role of critical morphological and magnetic parameters and their impact in the temperature dependent behavior. The exchange bias coupling field (H ex), coercive field (H c), and blocking temperature (T b) distribution are tuned, combining tailored growth conditions of the antiferromagnet and different buffer layer materials and stackings. This is achieved by a unique combination of ion beam deposition and magnetron sputtering, without vaccum break. Then, the work then extends beyond bilayers into more complex state-of-the-art MgO MTJ stacks as those employed in commercial sensing applications. We systematically address their characteristic fields, such as the width of the antiferromagnetic coupling plateau ΔH, and study their dependence on temperature. Although, [Ta/CuN] buffers showed higher key performance indications (e.g. H ex) at room temperature in both bilayers and MTJs, [Ta/Ru] buffers showed an overall wider ΔH up to 200 °C, more suitable to push high temperature operations. This result highlights the importance of properly design a suitable buffer layer system and addressing the complete MTJ behavior as function of temperature, to deliver the best stacking design with highest resilience to high temperature environments.