| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1681890 | Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms | 2012 | 5 Pages |
Zirconium nitride films were deposited on Si substrates by an ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) approach. The response of nanocrystalline ZrN/Si films upon intense ion irradiations was investigated with the focus on new phase formation. Zirconium silicide (ZrSi) forms at the ZrN/Si interface under intense irradiations of 300 keV Ne+ and 1 MeV Kr2+ in the elastic stopping regime. The strong ballistic effects may cause atom mixing at the ZrN/Si interface, leading to the precipitation of ZrSi. Interface mixing and the formation of ZrSi also occur with swift heavy ion irradiation (1.465 GeV Xe). Thermal spikes in the nano-scale latent tracks and transient high temperature may lead to the atom mixing across the ZrN/Si interface and subsequent ZrSi formation following thermal spikes.
