Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “ION IMPLANTATION”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 163 records · Page 9

Silicon on sapphire for ion implantation studies

Van der Pauw or bridge samples are ultrasonically cut from silicon on sapphire wafers. Contact pad regions are implanted with moderately heavy dose of ions. Ion of interest is implanted into sample; and, before being annealed in vacuum, sample is sealed with sputtered layer of silicon dioxide. Nickel or aluminum is sputtered onto contact pad areas and is sintered in nitrogen atmosphere.

Pisciotta, B. P.↗

Comparison of Mg-based liquid metal ion sources for scalable focused-ion-implantation doping of GaN

We compare the suitability of various magnesium-based liquid metal alloy ion sources (LMAISs) for scalable focused-ion-beam (FIB) implantation doping of GaN. We consider GaMg, MgSO 4 $\bullet$7H 2 O, MgZn, AlMg, and AuMgSi alloys. Although issues of oxidation (GaMg), decomposition (MgSO 4 $\bullet$7H 2 O), and excessive vapor pressure (MgZn and AlMg) were encountered, the AuMgSi alloy LMAIS operating in a Wien-filtered FIB column emits all Mg isotopes in singly and doubly charged ionization states. We discuss the operating conditions to achieve <20 nm spot size Mg FIB implantation and present Mg depth profile data from time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. We also provide insight into implantation damage and recovery based on cathodoluminescence spectroscopy before and after rapid thermal processing. Prospects for incorporating the Mg LMAIS into high-power electronic device fabrication are also discussed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Less-Costly Ion Implantation of Solar Cells

Experiments point way toward more relaxed controls over ion-implanation dosage and uniformity in solar-cell fabrication. Data indicate cell performance, measured by output current density at fixed voltage, virtually same whether implant is particular ion species or broad-beam mixture of several species.

Fitzgerald, D. J.↗

The Effect of Dose of Nitrogen-Ion Implantation on the Concentration of Point Defects Introduced into GaAs Layers

Secondary-ion mass spectrometry and Rutherford proton backscattering have been used to measure the concentration profiles of nitrogen atoms and examine the defect structure of epitaxial GaAs layers implanted with 250-keV N{sup +} ions at doses of 5 × 10{sup 14}–5 × 10{sup 16} cm{sup –2}. It was found that no amorphization of the layers being implanted occurs at doses exceeding the calculated amorphization threshold, a concentration of point defects that is formed is substantially lower than the calculated value, and a characteristic specific feature of the defect concentration profiles is the high defect concentration in the surface layer.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Retention of ion-implanted-xenon in olivine: Dependence on implantation dose

The diffusion of Xe in olivine, a major mineral in both meteorites and lunar samples, was studied. Xe ions were implanted at 200 keV into single-crystal synthetic-forsterite targets and the depth profiles were measured by alpha particle backscattering before and after annealing for 1 hour at temperatures up to 1500 C. The fraction of implanted Xe retained following annealing was strongly dependent on the implantation dose. Maximum retention of 100% occurred for an implantion dose of 3 x 10 to the 15th power Xe ions/sq cm. Retention was less at lower doses, with (approximately more than or = 50% loss at one hundred trillion Xe ions/sq cm. Taking the diffusion coefficient at this dose as a lower limit, the minimum activation energy necessary for Xe retention in a 10 micrometer layer for ten million years was calculated as a function of metamorphic temperature.

Melcher, C. L.↗

The Influence of High-Energy Krypton Ion Implantation Temperature on Structure and Properties of Ni–Ti Alloy

The influence of the temperature of implantation of Ni–Ti shape memory alloy with {sub 84}Kr{sup 15+}ions at the energy E = 147 MeV on its structural-phase state is investigated. At the implantation temperatures 250 and 300°С, within the projective range Rp and out-range area the following processes and phenomena are observed: new formation of the martensitic В19'-phase, formation of nano-sized particles of the R-phase, increase in resistivity due to the formation of radiation-defect structures, strengthening of the alloy in the austenitic structural-phase state, and longer phase-transition temperature intervals.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Charging of Ion-Implanted Dielectrics by Electron Irradiation

The charging kinetics of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (sapphire) and SiO{sub 2} (α-quartz) dielectrics irradiated by inert gas ions (Ar{sup +}), metal ions (Ga{sup +}), and protons (H{sup +}) has been studied. It has been found that charging kinetics depends considerably on the type of irradiating ion. Also, it has been established that preirradiation of a dielectric target by an ionizing corpuscular radiation (protons, ions) substantially changes the charge characteristics of the dielectric surface. These differences depend on irradiating ion energy, which governs the depth of an accumulated negative charge layer versus the depth of ion preimplantation.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Formation of Nanodimensional SiO{sub 2} Films on the Surface of a Free Si/Cu Film System by O{sub 2}{sup +} Ion Implantation

The composition and parameters of energy bands in thin SiO{sub 2} films grown on the surface of a free Si/Cu film system have been studied. It has been shown that unlike SiO{sub 2} films grown on thick films, the value of E{sub g} for thin SiO{sub 2} films is no higher than ~4.1 eV. This is explained by the presence of Si impurity atoms and nonstoichiometric oxides in the SiO{sub 2} film, which arise because of the impossibility of heating the system above 700 K.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Induced Quasi-Dynamic Disorder in a Structure of Rhenium Ion-Implanted Quartz Glass

The ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectra were studied in UV–Vis–IR quartz glasses exposed to the rhenium ion irradiation at the energy of 30 keV. An increase in ion fluence (5 × 10{sup 15}–5 × 10{sup 17} cm{sup 2}) is found to result in a characteristic fan-shaped broadening of the optical absorption edge of glasses. The results were interpreted in the context of the generalized Urbach rule (the approximation of ion radiation induced quasi-dynamic disorder). The effective radiation disorder cross section of a glass matrix was evaluated from the dose dependence of characteristic Urbach energy. This parameter was found to vary between 1.07 × 10{sup –17}–1.2 × 10{sup –18} cm{sup 2} with increasing fluence. The optical gap width of implanted samples was estimated via the Tautz method for allowed direct interband transitions. The relationship between the second-order deformation potential constants, revealing the correlation between the Urbach energy and the optical gap width in a SiO{sub 2} quartz glass matrix was established using the equivalence principle of static and dynamic structural disorder.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Terrestrial atmospheric ion implantation occurred in the nearside lunar regolith during the history of Earth’s dynamo

Light volatile elements in lunar regolith are thought to be a mixture of the solar wind and Earth’s atmosphere, the latter sourced in the absence of geomagnetic field. However, the extent to which both the current and primitive geodynamo influence the transport of terres trial ions still remains unclear, and this uncertainty is further complicated by the enigmatic composition and poorly constrained location of the Eoarchean exosphere. Here we use 3-D MHD numerical simulations with contemporary magnetized and Archean unmagnetized atmospheres to investigate how Earth’s intrinsic magnetic field affects this transfer, aiming to constrain how and when the lunar isotopic signature provides a record of Earth’s pale-oatmosphere. We find that atmospheric transfer is efficient only when the Moon is within Earth’s magnetotail. The non-solar contribution to the lunar soil is best explained by implantation during the long history of the geodynamo with present-day solar wind conditions, rather than any short, putatively unmagnetized epoch of early Archean Earth. This further suggests the history of the terrestrial atmosphere, spanning billions of years, could be preserved in buried lunar soils. Our results indicate that the elemental abundances of Apollo samples are very sensitive to Earth’s hydrodynamic exobase altitude, which, at the time of ion implantation, was never smaller than 190 km.

Atmospheric dynamics↗

1.2-kV Vertical GaN PIN Rectifier With Ion-Implanted Floating Guard Rings

Here, this work reports on the fabrication and properties of a homojunction gallium nitride (GaN) p-i-n (PIN) rectifier fabricated on a free-standing GaN substrate. Uniform device performance is achieved with breakdown voltage (BV) >1.2 kV and low ON-resistance × area ( R ON A ). The statistics of the BV measurements show 58.5% of devices achieve BV >1.3 kV, and 71.1% of devices achieve BV >1.2 kV, as attributed to high quality and control in both epitaxial growth and device process. At room temperature, R ON A is 0.23 mΩ∙ cm 2 at a current density ( J ) of 6.9 kA/cm2. The corresponding Baliga’s figure of merit is >5.97 GW/cm 2 . Temperature-dependent reverse I – V measurements were performed and show a positive temperature coefficient of 0.42 V/K, indicating the avalanche capability of reverse breakdown. Further analysis with the Poole-Frenkel model on the temperature-dependent measurement suggested that a trap-assisted tunneling process contributed to the reverse leakage current. Floating guard rings (FGRs) formed by nitrogen implantation serve as an effective edge termination technique in these GaN PIN rectifiers, resulting in uniform performance in both forward and reverse bias.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Precise Fermi level engineering in a topological Weyl semimetal via fast ion implantation

The precise controllability of the Fermi level is a critical aspect of quantum materials. For topological Weyl semimetals, there is a pressing need to fine-tune the Fermi level to the Weyl nodes and unlock exotic electronic and optoelectronic effects associated with the divergent Berry curvature. However, in contrast to two-dimensional materials, where the Fermi level can be controlled through various techniques, the situation for bulk crystals beyond laborious chemical doping poses significant challenges. Here, we report the milli-electron-volt (meV) level ultra-fine-tuning of the Fermi level of bulk topological Weyl semimetal tantalum phosphide using accelerator-based high-energy hydrogen implantation and theory-driven planning. By calculating the desired carrier density and controlling the accelerator profiles, the Fermi level can be experimentally fine-tuned from 5 meV below, to 3.8 meV below, to 3.2 meV above the Weyl nodes. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals the crystalline structure is largely maintained under irradiation, while electrical transport indicates that Weyl nodes are preserved and carrier mobility is also largely retained. Our work demonstrates the viability of this generic approach to tune the Fermi level in semimetal systems and could serve to achieve property fine-tuning for other bulk quantum materials with ultrahigh precision.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

More-reliable SOS ion implantations

Conducting layer prevents static charges from accumulating during implantation of silicon-on-sapphire MOS structures. Either thick conducting film or thinner film transparent to ions is deposited prior to implantation, and gaps are etched in regions to be doped. Grounding path eliminates charge flow that damages film or cracks sapphire wafer. Prevention of charge buildup by simultaneously exposing structure to opposite charges requires equipment modifications less practical and more expensive than deposition of conducting layer.

Woo, D. S.↗

Ion implantation effects in 'cosmic' dust grains

Cosmic dust grains, whatever their origin may be, have probably suffered a complex sequence of events including exposure to high doses of low-energy nuclear particles and cycles of turbulent motions. High-voltage electron microscope observations of micron-sized grains either naturally exposed to space environmental parameters on the lunar surface or artificially subjected to space simulated conditions strongly suggest that such events could drastically modify the mineralogical composition of the grains and considerably ease their aggregation during collisions at low speeds. Furthermore, combined mass spectrometer and ionic analyzer studies show that small carbon compounds can be both synthesized during the implantation of a mixture of low-energy D, C, N ions in various solids and released in space by ion sputtering.

Bibring, J. P.↗

Radiation damage and defect behavior in ion-implanted, lithium counterdoped silicon solar cells

Boron doped silicon n+p solar cells were counterdoped with lithium by ion implanation and the resultant n+p cells irradiated by 1 MeV electrons. The function of fluence and a Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) was studied to correlate defect behavior with cell performance. It was found that the lithium counterdoped cells exhibited significantly increased radiation resistance when compared to boron doped control cells. It is concluded that the annealing behavior is controlled by dissociation and recombination of defects. The DLTS studies show that counterdoping with lithium eliminates at least three deep level defects and results in three new defects. It is speculated that the increased radiation resistance of the counterdoped cells is due primarily to the interaction of lithium with oxygen, single vacancies and divacancies and that the lithium-oxygen interaction is the most effective in contributing to the increased radiation resistance.

Weinberg, I.↗