Ion beam assisted deposition of C:Ni composites: Growth of regular nanostructures by surface-layer-limited phase separation

Nanostructures influence materials properties dramatically due to size, shape and interface effects. Thus the control over the structure at the nanoscale is a key issue in nanomaterials science. The interaction of hyperthermal ions with solids is confined to some nanometers. It can be used to control the morphology evolution during multiphase film deposition. Ion induced displacements occur in a thin surface layer of the growing film where they increase the atomic mobility for the phase separation. Here the growth-structure relationship of C:Ni (~15 at.%) nanocomposite films grown by oblique incidence (~45°) ion beam assisted deposition is reported. This nanocomposite is relevant in the context of sensing, fusion, electrochemistry, tribology, information storage and spintronics. The influences of the flux of an assisting Ar+ ion beam (0-140 eV) as well as of an elevated substrate temperature have been studied. The formation of elongated nickel nanoparticles is strongly promoted by the ion beam assistance. Moreover, the metal nanocolumns no longer align with the advancing surface, as in the case without ion assistance, but with the incoming ions. Furthermore, a window of conditions is established where the ion assistance leads to the formation of regular composition modulations with a well defined periodicity and tilt. As the dominating driving force for the pattern formation is of physical origin, this approach might be applicable to other immiscible systems.