Ion Beam Irradiation Research Articles

Impact of N+ Ion Irradiation on the Electrochemical Behavior of ZnO Thin Film Electrode-Electrolyte Interfaces.

Defect engineering serves as a crucial technique for enhancing the performance of advanced next-generation devices. Ion beam irradiation stands out as a highly promising method for introducing defects in a controlled manner. This study investigates the impact of nitrogen ion (N+) irradiation-induced defects on the electrochemical behavior of ZnO thin-film electrode-electrolyte interface. The oxygen vacancy defects were introduced and tuned by varying the fluence of ion irradiation. The increased Urbach energy in the irradiated samples confirms the enhanced disorder. Photoluminescence data show the emergence of new defect states upon irradiation. The behavior of the ZnO thin-film electrode-electrolyte interface was studied using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. At a fixed scan rate, the enhanced peak current was observed in cyclic voltammetry in N+ Irradiated electrodes. Furthermore, reduced charge transfer resistance was observed in the case of irradiated electrodes. To unravel the underlying mechanism, we analyze the AC conductivity, which shows varying dependency on the frequency. It shows the existence of multiple ion-ion correlations in irradiated electrodes. Furthermore, the AC conductivity in the entire frequency region is enhanced significantly. Dielectric permittivity spectra suggest low-frequency dipole interactions and increased dielectric losses after irradiation, indicating non-Debye type relaxation processes. Understanding irradiation-induced changes will help engineer thin film electrodes for batteries, supercapacitors, and other electrochemical applications.

Tailoring Surface Phonon Polariton on SiO2 by Ion-Beam Irradiation

Tailoring Surface Phonon Polariton on SiO₂ by Ion-Beam Irradiation

Minimal lateral damage fabrication of high-temperature superconducting nanowires via focused helium ion beam irradiation

Abstract The low temperature superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors have become a key infrared photon counting technology in communication and astronomy applications. However, the constrained physical space of devices demands for high-performance superconducting detectors capable of operation at higher temperature. To date, the fabrication of high temperature superconductor nanowires is still facing seriously uneven lateral damage during ion etching process. In this work, we report a promising fabricating method for high-temperature superconducting YBa2Cu3O7−x (YBCO) nanowires, using a focused helium ion beam to minimize the lateral damage of the cut. Based on the simulation, we designed tangent circles and adjacent isosceles triangles to replace lines in cutting nanowires for reducing the superimposed damage of He+ ions. The lateral damage of single helium ion cut has been reduced with a superimposed damage width decrease from 58.8 nm to 29.7 nm. This work provides a platform for boosting the YBCO nanowires to achieve single photon detection.

Three-dimensional radiation dosimetry of carbon ion beams using surfactant hydrogels: Fundamental investigation.

In carbon ion radiotherapy, accurate measurement of the three-dimensional (3D) absorbed dose distribution is critical for effectively targeting tumors. Although micellar gel dosimeters exhibit considerable potential for measuring 3D absorbed dose distributions, few studies have focused on radiotherapy using carbon ion beams. This study investigated the applicability of the surfactant hydrogel dosimeter (SHD), a micellar gel dosimeter, to measuring a 3D dose absorbed through carbon ion beam irradiation. A cubic target region of 34mm per side was established at a depth of 46mm below the upper surface of an SHD specimen. Scanning irradiation was performed using a pencil beam of carbon ions at the Ion-beam Radiation Oncology Center in Kanagawa ("i-ROCK"), Japan, under irradiation conditions set by the treatment planning system ("Monaco for Carbon", Ver. 5.20, Elekta AB, Sweden) to create a spread-out Bragg peak within the target. The physical dose was set to 10Gy at the isocenter, situated at the center of the target. The SHD responsiveness was measured twice using optical computed tomography (CT) ("Vista 15", Modus Medical Devices, Canada) for three irradiated specimens, and six types of measured optical attenuation coefficient (OAC) were obtained. To assess whether the OAC represented the absorbed dose expected in the treatment plan, we compared the relative distribution of the OAC and that of the absorbed dose. Relative fraction (RF) was used to measure the difference between the relative value of the OAC and that of the absorbed dose. Moreover, the distribution of OH radical (•OH) concentration obtained by Monte Carlo simulation ("PHITS" ver. 3.24 JAEA, Japan) and that of the OAC were compared. In the direction of beam travel, the relative distribution of the OAC was lower than that of the absorbed dose. This discrepancy could be attributed to a decrease in the concentration of •OH produced by irradiation owing to the recombination reaction, which does not accurately reflect the absorbed dose. By contrast, the distributions in the plane perpendicular to the beam travel were consistent. The RF increased from±3% to±13% along the beam travel direction. The small RF in the plane perpendicular to the beam travel could be attributed to the constant distribution of linear energy transfer, regardless of the irradiation position, and the generation of radicals proportionally to the absorbed dose. The increase in RF along the beam travel direction was ascribed to ring artifacts in the irradiated region. The measurement of the absorbed dose distribution in the beam travel direction should be improved. The observed discrepancy is attributed to the reduced reactivity of the SHD due to a high liner energy transfer near the Bragg peak. However, the absorbed dose distribution can be effectively evaluated in the plane perpendicular to the direction of beam travel.

Oligotrophic state reduces the time dependence of the observed survival fraction for heavy ion beam-irradiated Saccharomyces cerevisiae and provides new insights into DNA repair.

Heavy ion beam (HIB) irradiation is widely utilized in studies of cosmic rays-induced cellular effects and microbial breeding. Establishing an accurate dose-survival relationship is crucial for selecting the optimal irradiation dose. Typically, after irradiating logarithmic-phase cell suspensions with HIB, the survival fraction (SF) is determined by the ratio of clonal-forming units in irradiated versus control groups. However, our findings indicated that SF measurements were time sensitive. For the Saccharomyces cerevisiae model, the observed SF initially declined and subsequently increased in a eutrophic state; conversely, in an oligotrophic state, it remained relatively stable within 120 minutes. This time effect of SF observations in the eutrophic state can be ascribed to HIB-exposed cells experiencing cell cycle arrest, whereas the control proliferated rapidly, resulting in an over-time disproportionate change in viable cell count. Therefore, an alternative involves irradiating oligotrophic cells, determining SF thereafter, and transferring cells to the eutrophic state to facilitate DNA repair-mutation. Transcriptomic comparisons under these two trophic states yield valuable insights into the DNA damage response. Although DNA repair was postponed in an oligotrophic state, cells proactively mobilized specific repair pathways to advance this process. Effective nutritional supplementation should occur within 120 minutes, beyond this window, a decline in SF indicates an irreversible loss of repair capability. Upon transition to the eutrophic state, S. cerevisiae swiftly adapted and completed the repair. This study helps to minimize time-dependent variability in SF observations and to ensure effective damage repair and mutation in microbial breeding using HIB or other mutagens. It also promotes the understanding of microbial responses to complex environments.IMPORTANCEMutation breeding is a vital means of developing excellent microbial resources. Consequently, understanding the mechanisms through which microorganisms respond to complex environments characterized by mutagens and specific physiological-biochemical states holds significant theoretical and practical values. This study utilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a microbial model and highly efficient heavy ion beam (HIB) radiation as a mutagen, it revealed the time dependence of observations of survival fractions (SF) in response to HIB radiation and proposed an alternative to avoid the indeterminacy that this variable brings. Meanwhile, by incorporating an oligotrophic state into the alternative, this study constructed a dynamic map of gene expression during the fast-repair and slow-repair stages. It also highlighted the influence of trophic states on DNA repair. The findings apply to the survival-damage repair-mutation effects of single-celled microorganisms in response to various mutagens and contribute to elucidating the biological mechanisms underlying microbial survival in complex environments.

Nano-thick surface-modified layer governs bending deformation of micrographite

This study aimed to investigate the impact of surface-modified layer (SML) on the bending deformation of van der Waals (vdW)-stacked materials. Bending tests were conducted on micrographite (highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, HOPG) cantilevers with controlled SML thickness using various ion beam irradiation conditions. Irradiation of the HOPG surface with ion beams at accelerating voltages of 30, 5 and 0.1 kV resulted in the formation of SMLs with thicknesses of approximately 10, 5 and less than 3 nm, respectively. Microcantilever-beam specimens with SML thicknesses of less than 3 nm and approximately 5 nm exhibited shear deformation with localized interlayer slip. In contrast, specimens with a thickness of approximately 10 nm showed no interlayer slip, with bending deformation dominating. This transition was attributed to the increase in SML thickness. The nominal shear modulus increased by a factor of approximately 1.58 and 2.23 for specimens with SML thicknesses of approximately 5 and 10 nm, respectively, compared with those with thicknesses of less than 3 nm. The resistance to subsequent nonlinear deformation also increased with thicker SML. These results indicate that the presence of SMLs of only a few nanometers to 10 nm suppressed interlayer slip and significantly enhanced the deformation resistance of micro-HOPGs.

Unraveling the formation of Tb/Pd films by coupled reduction as targets for heavy ion-beam irradiation

This study provides insights into the formation of Tb/Pd films produced by electroplating in combination with the so-called coupled reduction technique. The use of 149Tb as an α-emitting radionuclide enabled for the first time the study of the distribution of Tb across the surface and along the thickness of the Pd bulk by means of radiography and α-spectroscopy combined with Monte Carlo simulations of the energy loss of emitted α-particles, respectively. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were employed for surface analysis, whereas X-ray diffraction provided conclusive evidence of the formed crystalline phases. The obtained results indicate the formation of either the intermetallic phase TbPd3 or a Tb/Pd solid solution, depending on the heating time and temperature as well as the local Tb/Pd atomic ratio. These insights pave the way to the production of stable targets for heavy ion-beam irradiations as well as other applications.

Study on the damage of Zr63.5Cu23Al9Fe4.5 amorphous and crystalline alloys by Fe, He ions beam irradiation

In order to study the physical mechanism of the effect of complex fusion irradiation environment on Zr-based amorphous alloys, simultaneous irradiation with Fe and He ions was performed on Zr63.5Cu23Al9Fe4.5 amorphous and crystalline alloys at room temperature. Single Fe ions irradiation and single He ions irradiation were used for comparison to investigate the influence of synergistic effects as well as intrinsic structural differences on irradiation-induced microstructural evolution and mechanical properties. It was been found that the irradiated amorphous alloys maintained its amorphous structure without nanocrystallization or elemental segregation. However, the irradiated region of the crystalline alloys experienced full amorphization, forming amorphous structure with bright contrast (Al-rich) and dark contrast (Cu-rich or Fe-rich). Under single He ions irradiation and simultaneous Fe+He ions irradiation conditions, He bubbles generated in both amorphous and crystalline alloys, where He bubbles in amorphous alloys distributed homogeneously, while the Cu-rich region of crystalline alloys exhibited larger sizes of He bubbles. Compared to single He ions irradiation, the size of He bubbles was larger, the atomic arrangement was more disordered (for amorphous alloys) and the element distribution was more homogeneous (for crystalline alloys) after simultaneous irradiation. Compared to single Fe ions irradiation, simultaneous irradiation induced slightly greater swelling. After irradiation, obvious softening was observed in both alloys, and the hardness of amorphous alloys was as follows: unirradiated > single He ions irradiation ≈ single Fe ions irradiation ≈ simultaneous Fe+He ions irradiation, while that of crystalline alloys was as follows: unirradiated > single He ions irradiation > single Fe ions irradiation ≈ simultaneous Fe+He ions irradiation. The serrated flow behavior of amorphous alloys weakened and the deformation was more homogeneous. As a result of irradiation-induced amorphization, serrated flow phenomenon also occurred in crystalline alloys, however, this type of inhomogeneous amorphous structure showed much weaker serrated flow behavior than the homogeneous amorphous structure. This study provides a deeper understanding of the irradiation damage mechanism of Zr-based amorphous alloys in complex irradiation environments.

Biological responses of an elite centipedegrass [Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.] cultivar (Ganbei) to carbon ion beam irradiation.

Carbon ion beam irradiation (CIBI) is a highly efficient mutagenesis for generating mutations that can be used to expand germplasm resources and create superior new germplasm. The study investigated the effects of different doses of CIBI (50 Gy, 100 Gy, 150 Gy, 200 Gy and 300 Gy) on seed germination and seedling survival, seedling morphological and physiological traits of an elite centipedegrass cultivar Ganbei. The results showed that irradiation greater than 50 Gy cause inhibition of seed germination, and the semi-lethal dose (LD50) is around 90 Gy for CIBI treated seeds of Ganbei. A carbon ion beam-mutagenized centipedegrass population was generated from Ganbei, with irradiation dosages from 50 Gy to 200 Gy. More than ten types of phenotypic variations and novel mutants with heritable tendencies mainly including putative mutants of stolon number, length and diameter, of internode length, of leaf length and width, of leaf chlorophyll content, of stolon growth rate, of aboveground tissue dry weight, of sward height were identified. While the total sugar content of the plants from irradiated seeds showed no obvious change in all treatments as compared to the control, the crude protein content displayed significant reduction at a high-dose treatment of 200 Gy. Genetic polymorphism was detected in mutagenized centipedegrass population using SSR-PCR analysis, suggesting that CIBI caused alteration of larger fragments of the DNA sequence. As a result, a preliminary batch of mutants was screened in this study. In summary, carbon ion beam mutagenesis is an effective way for developing centipedegrass germplasm with wider variation, and treating seeds with CIBI at a dosage of ~100 Gy could be effective in centipedegrass mutation breeding.

Low-energy argon ion beam irradiation for the surface modification and reduction of graphene oxide: Insights from XPS

Developing environmentally friendly methods for reducing graphene oxide (GO) is essential. This study investigates the surface modification and reduction of GO films using 200 eV argon ion (Ar+) beam irradiation. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analysis reveals significant chemical changes on the GO surface. GO was irradiated with a 200 eV Ar+beam for varying times (0–80 s). XPS survey spectra showed the presence of carbon and oxygen, with an increasing carbon atomic percentage over time. High-resolution XPS spectra of C 1s revealed peaks corresponding to sp2, C–OH, O–C–O, CO, and O–CO bonds. In the O 1s spectra, CO, O–C–O, and C–OH groups were observed. Upon irradiation, the CO peak consistently decreased, the O–C–O peak fluctuated, and the C–OH peak increased, indicating effective reduction of CO groups, dynamic changes in O–C–O functionalities, and the formation of additional C–OH groups. The C/O ratio increased from ∼2.4 to 2.7, underscoring the reduction process and enhanced carbon content. This method proves to be an efficient approach for producing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with improved properties for advanced applications.

Control of chiral damping in magnetic trilayers using He+ ion irradiation

In the forefront of spintronic advancements, structures with strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) such as Pt/Co/Pt are essential for the miniaturization and performance enhancement of high-density magnetic storage technologies. The robust PMA characteristic of these systems facilitates the development of scalable spintronic devices, crucial for next-generation magnetic memory applications. This study investigates the interplay between PMA and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI)—an antisymmetric exchange interaction prevalent in non-centrosymmetric magnetic systems—and its dissipative counterpart, chiral damping. While chiral damping arises from the same broken inversion symmetry as DMI, it typically introduces an additional energy dissipation channel, reducing device efficiency. Our research examines the effects of controlled helium ion (He+) irradiation on a Pt/Co/Pt system. We find that ion beam irradiation enhances interfacial intermixing, which correlates with a decrease in PMA. However, domain wall velocity measurements indicate a concurrent reduction in both DMI and chiral damping, along with enhanced velocities as irradiation fluence increases. These observations suggest that ion beam irradiation can be judiciously applied to achieve a balance between lower DMI, chiral damping, and reasonable PMA, thereby optimizing the system for improved device performance.

Online MR-guided proton and ion beam radiotherapy: investigation of image quality

Objective.Magnetic resonance (MR) images free of artefacts are of pivotal importance for MR-guided ion radiotherapy. This study investigates MR image quality for simultaneous irradiation in an experimental setup using phantom imaging as well asin-vivoimaging. Observed artefacts are described within the study and their cause is investigated with the goal to find conclusions and solutions for potential future hybrid devices.Approach.An open MR scanner with a field strength of 0.25 T has been installed in front of an ion beamline. Simultaneous magnetic resonance imaging and irradiation using raster scanning were performed to analyze image quality in dedicated phantoms. Magnetic field measurements were performed to assist the explanation of observed artifacts. In addition,in-vivoimages were acquired by operating the magnets for beam scanning without transporting a beam.Main Results.The additional frequency component within the isocenter caused by the fringe field of the horizontal beam scanning magnet correlates with the amplitude and frequency of the scanning magnet steering and can cause ghosting artifacts in the images. These are amplified with high currents and fast operating of the scanning magnet. Applying a real-time capable pulse sequencein-vivorevealed no ghosting artifacts despite a continuously changing current pattern and a clinical treatment plan activation scheme, suggesting that the use of fast imaging is beneficial for the aim of creating high quality in-beam MR images. This result suggests, that the influence of the scanning magnets on the MR acquisition might be of negligible importance and does not need further measures like extensive magnetic shielding of the scanning magnets.Significance.Our study delimited artefacts observed in MR images acquired during simultaneous raster scanning ion beam irradiation. The application of a fast pulse sequence showed no image artefacts and holds the potential that online MR imaging in future hybrid devices might be feasible.

Effects of five types of ion beam irradiation on the dry seeds of Gerbera hybrida

Effects of five types of ion beam irradiation on the dry seeds of <i>Gerbera hybrida</i>

Improved ammonia gas adsorption of surface engineered WS2 nanoflakes

Recent investigations into nanostructured WS2 have shown promising results in the detection of reducing gases, such as ammonia. However, this material faces limitations with respect to the vital parameters such as sensitivity, recovery, and repeatability over an extended period in its purest form. To address these challenges, a low-energy (5 keV) argon ion beam was used to irradiate nanostructured WS2 nanoflakes at various fluences, leading to observable morphological and structural changes. The irradiation of WS2 resulted in a significant enhancement in its ability to detect ammonia gas. The sensing response saw a threefold increase, and both the response and recovery times were reduced significantly compared to pristine samples. Ion beam irradiation changes the overall morphology of nanoflakes and induces a certain degree of defects as apparent from electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies. The ion-solid interaction simulation predicts a larger amount of sulfur vacancy than tungsten due to irradiation, which is also supported by experimental results. Density functional theory predicts that sulfur vacancy leads a decisive role in better adsorption of ammonia than the pristine surface. The NH3 molecule orients towards the defective surface leading to a higher charge transfer from the NH3 molecule to the surface than the pristine surface along with a smaller adsorption height.

Demonstration of an integrated-heating load frame for quantitatively assessing microscale tensile properties of copper and Zircaloy-2

Small-scale mechanical testing (SSMT) is of great interest in the nuclear materials community as it permits the use of surrogate irradiation techniques, such as ion beam irradiation when investigating the impact of irradiation damage on mechanical properties. The design of a micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) micro-tensile stage is demonstrated to enable micron-sized specimen testing up to failure under ambient and reactor-relevant temperatures. Copper and Zircaloy-2 microscale specimens, having gauge lengths of 200 μm, gauge widths of 48 μm, and specimen-dependent constant gauge thicknesses of 10 μm to 26 μm, are fabricated using micro-wire electrical discharge machining and focused ion beam milling. From each gauge section, microstructure data is captured prior to testing using electron backscatter diffraction analysis, and an optimized digital image correlation speckle pattern is deposited on the specimen surface. The speckle pattern is tracked during deformation and post-processed to obtain strain-field evolution maps throughout deformation. Strain maps provide a means to account for and explain microstructure-dependent features observed in the captured stress-strain curves. The combination of using micro-wire electrical discharge machining, focused ion beam cleaning, and ion beam induced platinum deposition for micron-sized specimen preparation as well as utilizing microfabrication techniques to fabricate an integrated heating microtensile load frame reported herein serve as a demonstration of SSMT approaches that can be adopted to tackle challenging problems in nuclear materials research, including but not limited to the effects of ion beam irradiation on mechanical performance and providing experimental data to support small-scale modeling efforts of embrittling precipitates or radiation-induced segregation.

Light-Driven Ionic and Molecular Transport through Atomically Thin Single Nanopores in MoS2/WS2 Heterobilayers.

Nanofluidic ionic and molecular transport through atomically thin nanopore membranes attracts broad research interest from both scientific and industrial communities for environmental, healthcare, and energy-related technologies. To mimic the biological ion pumping functions, recently, light-induced and quantum effect-facilitated charge separation in heterogeneous 2D-material assemblies is proposed as the fourth type of driving force to achieve active and noninvasive transport of ionic species through synthetic membrane materials. However, to date, engineering versatile van der Waals heterostructures into 2D nanopore membranes remains largely unexplored. Herein, we fabricate single nanopores in heterobilayer transition metal dichalcogenide membranes with helium ion beam irradiation and demonstrate the light-driven ionic transport and molecular translocation phenomena through the atomically thin nanopores. Experimental and simulation results further elucidate the driving mechanism as the photoinduced near-pore electric potential difference due to type II band alignment of the semiconducting WS2 and MoS2 monolayers. The strength of the photoinduced localized electric field near the pore region can be approximately 1.5 times stronger than that of its counterpart under the conventional voltage-driven mode. Consequently, the light-driven mode offers better spatial resolution for single-molecule detection. Light-driven ionic and molecular transport through nanopores in van der Waals heterojunction membranes anticipates transformative working principles for next-generation biomolecular sequencing and gives rise to fascinating opportunities for light-to-chemical energy harvesting nanosystems.

Resistive Gas Sensors Based on 2D TMDs and MXenes.

ConspectusGas sensors are used in various applications to sense toxic gases, mainly for enhanced safety. Resistive sensors are particularly popular owing to their ability to detect trace amounts of gases, high stability, fast response times, and affordability. Semiconducting metal oxides are commonly employed in the fabrication of resistive gas sensors. However, these sensors often require high working temperatures, bringing about increased energy consumption and reduced selectivity. Furthermore, they do not have enough flexibility, and their performance is significantly decreased under bending, stretching, or twisting. To address these challenges, alternative materials capable of operating at lower temperatures with high flexibility are needed. Two-dimensional (2D) materials such as MXenes and transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) offer high surface area and conductivity owing to their unique 2D structure, making them promising candidates for realization of resistive gas sensors. Nevertheless, their sensing performance in pristine form is typically weak and unacceptable, particularly in terms of response, selectivity, and recovery time (trec). To overcome these drawbacks, several strategies can be employed to enhance their sensing properties. Noble-metal decoration such as (Au, Pt, Pd, Rh, Ag) is a highly promising method, in which the catalytic effects of noble metals as well as formation of potential barriers with MXenes or TMDs eventually contribute to boosted response. Additionally, bimetallic noble metals such as Pt-Pd and Au/Pd with their synergistic properties can further improve sensor performance. Ion implantation is another feasible approach, involving doping of sensing materials with the desired concentration of dopants through control over the energy and dosage of the irradiation ions as well as creation of structural defects such as oxygen vacancies through high-energy ion-beam irradiation, contributing to enhanced sensing capabilities. The formation of core-shell structures is also effective, creating numerous interfaces between core and shell materials that optimize the sensing characteristics. However, the shell thickness needs to be carefully optimized to achieve the best sensing output. To reduce energy consumption, sensors can operate in a self-heating condition where an external voltage is applied to the electrodes, significantly lowering the power requirements. This enables sensors to function in energy-constrained environments, such as remote or low-energy areas. An important advantage of 2D MXenes and TMDs is their high mechanical flexibility. Unlike semiconducting metal oxides that lack mechanical flexibility, MXenes and TMDs can maintain their sensing performance even when integrated onto flexible substrates and subjected to bending, tilting, or stretching. This flexibility makes them ideal for fabricating flexible and portable gas sensors that rigid sensors cannot achieve.

LSPR anisotropy minimization by sequential growth of Ag nanoparticles on nanoripple patterned Si surface for SERS Application

The present work describes the formation of low-aspect-ratio Ag nanoparticles (NPs) arrays by sequential deposition of Ag from different growth directions on a nanoripple-patterned Si substrate, produced by low-energy ion beam irradiation. It is observed that the growth of Ag-NPs on ripple surfaces is direction-dependent due to the asymmetric ridge of the ripple pattern. This asymmetric ridge can be utilized to tune the shape of NP from elongated to spherical and in turn, assists in minimizing the LSPR anisotropy. The Finite-Difference-Time-Domain (FDTD) simulations demonstrate that the interparticle gap, major, and minor axis combinations of a NP are crucial in minimizing anisotropic near-field interaction. NPs grown perpendicular to the ripple from either direction lead to an elongated chain of nanoparticles; however, if a proper combination of sequential growth times is chosen then the aspect ratio of NPs can be tuned from elongation to spherical ones. Interestingly, a LSPR shift of 209 nm was observed when NPs are grown for 60 min on ripple patterns from one direction only. On the other hand, it reduces to 54 nm when NPs are sequentially grown for 30 min from each of directions, perpendicular to the ripples. SERS measurements also evidence a minimized anisotropic nature in sequentially grown NP arrays; hence, the growth direction as well as optimized growth times together can be used to control the LSPR anisotropy of NP arrays which can be used to fabricate such isotropic SERS substrates.

Nanoscale pattern formation on surfaces by cluster ion beam irradiation

Ion beam sputtering is a solid-surface nanostructuring procedure applicable to any type of material. In this study, we are interested in the bombardment of a metallic surface, specifically, of a Co(110) surface bombarded with Ar clusters at oblique incidence. The bombardment with clusters accentuates the effect of surface ripple formation. Sputter erosion and surface atomic redistribution are the processes that determine the morphological evolution of the surface from the collisional point of view. The importance of these processes was analyzed for different angles of incidence in the bombardment with very small clusters and atoms while always maintaining the same fluence. The sputter yield increases with the number of atoms in the cluster for angles greater than 50°; while for the rest, it barely experiences any increase. Unlike sputtering, displacements increase as the cluster size increases above the critical angle. Moreover, horizontal displacement only shows some sign of saturation for angles close to the normal. An analysis of redistributed volumes and previous data suggest that sputtering drives the ripple effect for grazing angles and ones close to these. It is also responsible for the enhancement effect in the cluster bombardment. For the rest of the angles, the weight of the redistribution is decisive. There is a proportional relationship between the emptied volume and the horizontal displacement.

A comprehensive analysis: The effects of 100 MeV Ni7+ ion irradiations on the structural integrity of MoO3 thin films

An effort has been made to comprehensively study the structural modification of the molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) thin film with 100 MeV, Ni7+. The MoO3 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method and thin film of MoO3 was fabricated by spin coating technique. MoO3 thin film was subjected to irradiation with 100 MeV, Ni7+ beam with various fluences of 5 × 1012, 1 × 1013, and 3 × 1013 ions cm−2. The structural changes induced by ion beam irradiation were characterized using XRD diffraction, Raman, Fourier Transforms Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) UV–visible spectroscopy, and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The synthesized thin film showed an orthorhombic phase and the average crystallite size was 63.8 nm of the pristine sample. it is observed that the crystallinity decreases after irradiation. The Raman study confirmed the XRD findings and also showed that after exposure, intensity of the Raman peaks decreased and the width of the spectra expanded due to a decrement in the crystallinity. The bandgap of the thin films decreased after irradiation as the ion fluence increased up to 3 × 1013 ions cm−2. The findings showed that the ion beam irradiation was directly accountable for the amorphization and lattice defect development in the MoO3 thin films.