Swift heavy ion induced mixing in metal/metal system

We performed ion beam mixing in metal/metal systems by swift heavy ions. The irradiation of Ti/Fe system were carried out at room temperature (RT) by 120 and 200 MeV Au ions and at liquid nitrogen temperature (LT) by 350 MeV Au ions. The mixing is found to increase with fluence, electronic stopping power and irradiation temperature, as determined by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. We also studied on-line mixing using 135 MeV Au ions by ERDA. Ion beam mixing in Ti/Au system by 120 MeV Au at RT was also performed. In the Ti/Fe system, mixing is found to be higher than Ti/Au system at same energy (120 MeV Au ions) because both Ti and Fe are sensitive to electronic stopping power (Se) while Au is insensitive material for Se. However, the energy transfer from Se sensitive material to the Se insensitive material will create a thin molten layer leading to interdiffusion at the interface. Explanation of mixing has been proposed on the basis of thermal spike model.