Tracks of 30-MeV C60 clusters in yttrium iron garnet studied by scanning force microscopy

Yttrium iron garnet (Y3Fe5O12 or YIG), an amorphizable ferrimagnetic insulator, is probably the best studied material with respect to track formation and damage morphology. This paper presents first scanning force microscopy (SFM) of surface damage induced by energetic C60 clusters. YIG single crystals were irradiated at normal incidence with 30-MeV C60 cluster ions (kinetic energy ∼0.04 MeV/u) provided by the tandem accelerator of the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Orsay (IPNO). The SFM topographic images show nano-protrusions on the YIG surface; where each hillock is generated by one C60 cluster. The role of stopping power and deposited energy density is discussed in terms of dimensional analysis of the nanostructures. Hillocks created by C60 clusters are compared with those produced by monatomic ions.