Synthesis, thermal stability and the effects of ion irradiation in amorphous Si–O–C alloys

Amorphous films of Si–O–C alloys were synthesized via sputtering deposition at room temperature. These alloys were characterized using grazing incidence diffraction, both as a function of temperature and irradiation dose. It was found that the material retained its amorphous structure, both at high temperatures (up to 1200 °C) and ion irradiation doses up to 1.0 dpa. The depth profile from photoemission spectroscopy provided evidence of the oxidation state of these alloys and their atomic composition. The studies suggest that Si–O–C alloys might belong to a group of radiation tolerant materials suitable for applications in reactor-like harsh environments.