Growth and taming of nanostructures with ion beams


Growth and taming of nanostructures with ion beams

Heinig, K.-H.; Müller, T.; Röntzsch, L.; Möller, W.

Nanocluster ensembles and nanowires can be synthesised in surface layers of various substrates by high dose ion implantation. Atomistic computer simulation lead to a detailed understanding of ion deposition and subsequent precipitation [1]. Recently it has been demonstrated that ion beams can be also used to change properties of nanostructures drastically. Thus, at elevated temperatures, irradiation of nanocluster ensembles results in a narrowing of the size distribution, which can be described as “inverse Ostwald ripening” [2]. Irradiation of single-crystalline but chemically disordered nanostructures assists chemical ordering of alloys like FePt, which has a very high magnetic anisotropy in its well-ordered state and is, therefore, a favorite material for future magnetic recording [3]. And finally, metallic nano-spheres in SiO2 can be shaped into rods or even wires by high-energy ion irradiation [4].
This contribution will review theoretical studies and atomistic computer simulations on the phenomena listed above. It will be shown that all this phenomena have a common origin: the competition between ion beam induced disordering (interface mixing, defect generation, …) which drives the system far from equilibrium, and diffusion processes, which drives the system back towards the thermodynamic equilibrium.
[1] M. Strobel, K.-H. Heinig, W. Möller, Phys. Rev. B 64, 245422 (2001).
T. Müller, K.H. Heinig, and W. Möller, Appl. Phys. Lett. 81, 2373 (2002).
T. Müller, K.H. Heinig, W. Möller, C. Bonafos, H. Coffin, N. Cherkashin, G. Assayag,
S. Schamm, G. Zanchi, A. Claverie, M. Tencé, C. Colliex, Appl. Phys. Lett. 85, 2373 (2004).
[2] K.-H. Heinig, T. Müller, B.Schmidt, M. Strobel, W. Möller, Appl. Phys. A 77, 17–25 (2003).
[3] H. Bernas, J.-Ph. Attane, K.-H. Heinig, D. Halley, D. Ravelosona, A. Marty, P. Auric, C. Chappert, Y. Samson, Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 077203 (2003).
[4] A. Vredenberg et al.; K.-H. Heinig, in Proc. Workshop „Ion Beam Shaping of Metal Nanoparticles“, ed. A. Polman, Amsterdam (Netherlands), Dec17 (2004).

Keywords: ion irradiation; nanostructures; atomistic computer simulation

  • Invited lecture (Conferences)
    International Symposium on Trends in Nanoscience: Structure and Functions, 08.-12.10.2005, Irsee, Germany

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