Information obtainable from ion beam luminescence

During ion beam implantation there is associated luminescence from insulators which contains information on the crystallinity of the host lattice, the structural perfection of the surface region, impurity content, intrinsic defects and variations in phase, nanoparticle inclusions and lattice stability. Hence, ion beam luminescence can provide both an immediate diagnostic probe of the changes which occur during implantation and an independent means of analysing defects in the near surface region. The technique is similar to cathodoluminescence but has advantages that it probes a greater depth of material with a more controllable rate of energy deposition in the layer. By the use of different ions and molecular beams one can explore dose rate dependence effects and distinguish between alternative defect models. In the diagnostic role there are further benefits from varying the target temperature and from using beam modulation to probe differences in lifetime of the excited luminescence sites. Ion beam signals are less sensitive to surface contaminants than cathodoluminescence and by changing the ion beam energy one may progressively interrogate the surface structure over depths of tens of microns. Examples from each of the various situations will be presented and these will underline the fact that the technique is extremely powerful. Since it is under exploited suggestions for new experiments are considered.