The effect of flash lamp annealing on Fe implanted ZnO single crystals

The effect of flash lamp annealing applied to ZnO single crystals implanted with 3.6 at. % Fe has been studied. For intermediate light power, the implantation induced surface defects could be annealed without creation of secondary phases within the implanted region. At the same annealing temperatures, however, ion beam induced open volume defects start to increase in size. Recrystallization is initiated for the highest light power applied, i.e. the ion beam induced lattice disorder reflected by the minimum channelling yield of Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy decreases from 76 % to 46 % and the open volume defects are annealed. At the same time, the Fe3+ fraction increases at the cost of the Fe2+ states. Weak ferromagnetic properties are induced, that are mainly associated with nanoparticles