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Upper atmospheric helium ion chemical loss process, distribution of nitrogen ion and rate coefficient of helium ion-molecular nitrogen reaction
The nitrogen ion chemistry that controls Triton's ionospheric composition and may be responsible for the hazes detected by the Voyager spacecraft are discussed. In particular, it is shown that nitrogen cluster ion formation should readily occur in Triton's thin cold atmosphere. The very low temperatures of Triton's atmosphere imply that these clustered ions can nucleate into solid nitrogen particles, creating the extended visible hazes. A model based on the chemical kinetics of nitrogen ions predicts a dense ionosphere at 200-400 km, as detected by Voyager radio occultation measurements.
The paper presents research results on the formation of deep ion-modified layers of the grade DIN 1.7035 alloy steel due to a high intensity, repetitively-pulsed nitrogen ion beams with the ion current density of up to 0.5 А/сm{sup 2}. The formation of a low-energy, high intensity nitrogen ion beam is based on a plasma immersion ion extraction followed by the ballistic focusing in the equipotential drift region. The nitrogen ion implantation in steel specimens is performed at a 1.2 keV energy and 450, 500, 580 and 650°С temperatures during 60 minutes. The morphology, elementary composition and mechanical properties are investigated in deep layers of steel specimens alloyed with nitrogen ions.
Nitrogen ion implantation time on tungsten thin film deposited on surface of AISI 410 steel has been performed. Tungsten thin film produced by dc magnetron sputtering method was deposited on AISI 410 martensitic stainless steel substrates, and then the nitrogen ions were implanted on tungsten thin film. The objective of this research is to investigate the effects of implantation deposition time on surface roughness, microhardness, specific wear and corrosion rate of nitrogen implanted on tungsten film. Magnetron sputtering process was performed by using plasma gas of argon (Ar) to bombardier tungsten target (W) in a vacuum chamber with a pressure of 7.6 x 10{sup −2} torr, a voltage of 300 V, a sputter current of 80 mA for sputtered time of 10 minutes. Nitrogen implantation on tungsten film was done with an initial pressure of 3x10{sup −6} mbar, a fluence of 2 x 10{sup 17} ions/cm{sup 2}, an energy of 100 keV and implantation deposition times of 0, 20, 30 and 40 minutes. The surface roughness, microhardness, specific wear and corrosion rate of the films were evaluated by surfcorder test, Vickers microhardness test, wear test and potentiostat (galvanostat) test respectively. The results show that the nitrogen ions implanted deposition time on tungsten film can modify the surface roughness, microhardness, specific wear and corrosion rate. The minimum surface roughness, specific wear and corrosion rate can be obtained for implantation time of 20 minutes and the maximum microhardness of the film is 329 VHN (Vickers Hardness Number) for implantation time of 30 minutes. The specific wear and corrosion rate of the film depend directly on the surface roughness.
: We report here synthesis and subsequent nitrogen ion implantation of indium oxide (In{sub 2}O{sub 3}) thin films. The films were implanted with 25 keV N{sup +} beam for different ion doses between 3E15 to 1E16 ions/cm{sup 2}. The resulting changes in structural and optical properties were investigated using XRD, SEM-EDAX and UV-Vis Spectrometry. XRD studies reveal decrease in crystallite size from 20.06 to 12.42 nm with increase in ion dose. SEM micrographs show an increase in the grain size from 0.8 to 1.35 µm with increase in ion dose because of the agglomeration of the grains. Also, from EDAX data on pristine and N-implanted thin films the presence of indium and oxygen without any traces of impurity elements could be seen. However, at lower ion doses such as 3E15 and 5E15 ions/cm{sup 2}, no evidence of the presence of nitrogen ion was seen. However, for the ion dose of 1E16 ions/cm{sup 2}, evidence of presence of nitrogen can be seen in the EDAX data. Band gap calculations reveal a decrease in band gap from 3.54 to 3.38 eV with increasing ion dose. However, the band gap was found to again show an increase to 3.58 eV at the highest ion dose owing to quantum confinement effect.
High temperature nitrogen plasma emission spectrum in 2500-5000 A range, estimating negative ion photoionization cross sections
Surface treatment by implantation with nitrogen-ion was performed on the commercial feritic high strength steel AISI 410 which is termed for high temperature applications. The aim of this research was focused on the surface modification to improve its high temperature oxidation property in the early stages. Ion implantation was carried out at acceleration energy of 100 KeV and ion current 10 mA for 30, 60 and 90 minutes. The samples were subjected to the high temperature oxidation test by means of thermogravimetry in a magnetic suspension balance (MSB) at 500 °C for 5 hours. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction spectrometry (XRD) and Vickers Hardness measurement were used for sample characterization. The formation of ferro-nitride phase after implantation did not occur, however a thin layer considered to contain nitrogen interstitials was detected. The oxidation of both samples before and after implantation followed parabolic kinetics indicating inward growth of oxide scale characteristically due to diffusion of oxygen anions towards matrix surface. After oxidation test relativelly stable oxide scales were observed. Oxidation rates decreased proportionally with the increasing of implantation time due to the formation of oxide layer which is considered to be effectiv inhibitor for the oxygen diffusion.
The concentration profiles of defects produced in structures upon the implantation of nitrogen ions into GaAs epitaxial layers with an uncovered surface and that covered with an AlN film and subsequent annealing are studied. The ion energies and the implantation doses are chosen so that the nitrogen-atom concentration profiles coincided in structures of both types. Rutherford proton backscattering spectra are measured in the random and channeling modes, and the concentration profiles of point defects formed are calculated for the samples under study. It is found that the implantation of nitrogen ions introduces nearly the same number of point defects into structures of both types, and the formation of an AlN film by ion-plasma sputtering is accompanied by the formation of an additional number of defects. However, the annealing of structures of both types leads to nearly the same concentrations of residual defects.
A technique based on accelerating positive nitrogen ions onto an aluminum layer has been demonstrated to be effective in forming thin (<2 nm thick) layers of aluminum nitride (AlN(x)) for use as tunnel barriers in Nb/Al-AlN(x)/Nb superconductor/insulator/ superconductor (SIS) Josephson junctions. AlN(x) is the present material of choice for tunnel barriers because, to a degree greater than that of any other suitable material, it offers the required combination of low leakage current at high current density and greater thermal stability. While ultra-thin AlN films with good thickness and stoichiometry control are easily formed using techniques such as reactive molecular beam epitaxy and chemical vapor deposition, growth temperatures of 900 C are necessary for the dissociative adsorption of nitrogen from either nitrogen (N2) or ammonia (NH3). These growth temperatures are prohibitively high for the formation of tunnel barriers on Nb films because interfacial reactions at temperatures as low as 200 to 300 C degrade device properties. Heretofore, deposition by reactive sputtering and nitridation of thin Al layers with DC and RF nitrogen plasmas have been successfully used to form AlN barriers in SIS junctions. However, precise control over critical current density Jc has proven to be a challenge, as is attaining adequate process reproducibility from system to system. The present ion-beam technique is an alternative to the plasma or reactive sputtering techniques as it provides a highly controlled arrival of reactive species, independent of the electrical conditions of the substrate or vacuum chamber. Independent and accurate control of parameters such as ion energy, flux, species, and direction promises more precise control of film characteristics such as stoichiometry and thickness than is the case with typical plasma processes. In particular, the background pressure during ion-beam nitride growth is 2 or 3 orders of magnitude lower, minimizing the formation of compounds with contaminants, which is critical in devices the performance of which is dictated by interfacial characteristics. In addition, the flux of incoming species can be measured in situ using ion probes so that the dose can be controlled accurately. The apparatus used in the present ion-beam technique includes a vacuum chamber containing a commercial collimated- ion-beam source, a supply of nitrogen and argon, and an ion probe for measuring the ion dose. Either argon or nitrogen can be used as the feed gases for the ion source, depending on whether cleaning of the substrate or growth of the nitride, respectively, is desired. Once the Nb base electrode and Al proximity layer have been deposited, the N2 gas line to the ion beam is vented and purged, and the ion-source is turned on until a stable discharge is obtained. The substrate is moved over the ion-beam source to expose the Al surface layer to the ion beam (see figure) for a specified duration for the formation of the nitride tunnel barrier. Next, the Nb counter-electrode layer is deposited on the nitride surface layer. The Nb/Al- AlN(x)/Nb-trilayer-covered substrate is then patterned into individual devices by use of conventional integrated-circuit processing techniques.
Astronauts can be exposed to charged particles, including protons, alpha particles and heavier ions, during space flights. Therefore, studying the biological effectiveness of these sparsely and densely ionizing radiations is important to understanding the potential health effects for astronauts. We evaluated the mutagenic effectiveness of sparsely ionizing 55 MeV protons and densely ionizing 32 MeV/nucleon nitrogen ions using cells of two human-hamster cell lines, A(L) and A(L)C. We have previously characterized a spectrum of mutations, including megabase deletions, in human chromosome 11, the sole human chromosome in the human-hamster hybrid cell lines A(L)C and A(L). CD59(-) mutants have lost expression of a human cell surface antigen encoded by the CD59 gene located at 11p13. Deletion of genes located on the tip of the short arm of 11 (11p15.5) is lethal to the A(L) hybrid, so that CD59 mutants that lose the entire chromosome 11 die and escape detection. In contrast, deletion of the 11p15.5 region is not lethal in the hybrid A(L)C, allowing for the detection of chromosome loss or other chromosomal mutations involving 11p15.5. The 55 MeV protons and 32 MeV/nucleon nitrogen ions were each about 10 times more mutagenic per unit dose at the CD59 locus in A(L)C cells than in A(L) cells. In the case of nitrogen ions, the mutations observed in A(L)C cells were predominantly due to chromosome loss events or 11p deletions, often containing a breakpoint in the pericentromeric region. The increase in the CD59(-) mutant fraction for A(L)C cells exposed to protons was associated with either translocation of portions of 11q onto a hamster chromosome, or discontinuous or "skipping" mutations. We demonstrate here that A(L)C cells are a powerful tool that will aid in the understanding of the mutagenic effects of different types of ionizing radiation.
The effect of implantation of 1.5-MeV nitrogen ions on the friction and wear characteristics of pure iron sliding against steel was studied in a pin-on disk apparatus. An implantation dose of 5 x 10 to the 17th power ions/sq cm was used. Small reductions in initial and steady-state wear rates were observed for nitrogen-implanted iron riders as compared with unimplanted controls. Auger electron spectroscopy revealed a subsurface Gaussian nitrogen distribution with a maximum concentration of 15 at. % at a depth of 8 x 10 to the -7th m. A similar analysis within the wear scar of an implanted rider after 20 microns of wear yielded only background nitrogen concentration, thus giving no evidence for diffusion of nitrogen beyond the implanted range.
The installation of the 28 GHz electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS) ion implantation beamline was recently completed at the Korea Basic Science Institute. The apparatus contains a beam monitoring system and a sample holder for the ion implantation process. The new implantation system can function as a multipurpose tool since it can implant a variety of ions, ranging hydrogen to uranium, into different materials with precise control and with implantation areas as large as 1–10 mm{sup 2}. The implantation chamber was designed to measure the beam properties with a diagnostic system as well as to perform ion implantation with an in situ system including a mass spectrometer. This advanced implantation system can be employed in novel applications, including the production of a variety of new materials such as metals, polymers, and ceramics and the irradiation testing and fabrication of structural and functional materials to be used in future nuclear fusion reactors. In this investigation, the first nitrogen ion implantation experiments were conducted using the new system. The 28 GHz ECRIS implanted low-energy, multi-charged nitrogen ions into copper, zinc, and cobalt substrates, and the ion implantation depth profiles were obtained. SRIM 2013 code was used to calculate the profiles under identical conditions, and the experimental and simulation results are presented and compared in this report. The depths and ranges of the ion distributions in the experimental and simulation results agree closely and demonstrate that the new system will enable the treatment of various substrates for advanced materials research.
The composition and structure of silicon surface layers subjected to combined gallium and nitrogen ion implantation with subsequent annealing have been studied by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering, electron spin resonance, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. A slight redistribution of the implanted atoms before annealing and their substantial migration towards the surface during annealing depending on the sequence of implantations are observed. It is found that about 2% of atoms of the implanted layer are replaced with gallium bonded to nitrogen; however, it is impossible to detect the gallium-nitride phase. At the same time, gallium-enriched inclusions containing ∼25 at % of gallium are detected as candidates for the further synthesis of gallium-nitride inclusions.
The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of GaInNP are observed to survey the origin of the unique behavior of the band gap caused by incorporating nitrogen ions. The temperature dependence of the PL peak position is carefully analyzed. It is found that the reduction of the temperature alteration owing to the nitrogen incorporation arises from the hybridization between the nitrogen local 3s and 3p orbitals and the conduction band. In the GaInNP and host GaInP with the indium content around 50%, which has a direct band gap slightly lower than an X-valley, the band gap shrinkage with temperature is mediated by an LA phonon at X point.
We report the results of a high temporal resolution study on the formation of superradiance (SR) in plasma on the first negative system of molecular nitrogen ions in plasma of an air filament. The filament is formed by a femtosecond laser pulse with a wavelength of λ = 950 nm. For the first time, the actual SR pulse duration at λ = 428 nm is measured, which constitutes 1.15 ps (FWHM). According to measurements of a spectral width equal to 0.26 nm, this pulse duration is close to transform-limited (1 ps). It is shown that there is a delay by 6 ps in the SR pulse maximum relative to the pump. (paper)
The development of hypersonic aerospace vehicles requires a better understanding on the thermal and chemical nonequilibrium kinetics of participating species in shock layers. The computational fluid dynamic (CFD) codes developed for such flowfields overestimate the radiation in the spectral region of 300 - 600 nm. A speculation for this overestimation is that inclusion of Ar, CO2, and H2O at the upper atmosphere flight region makes a significant impact on radiative kinetics of molecular nitrogen ions. To define the effects of minority species on the radiative kinetics of N2(+), an experimental setup was made by using the helium Penning ionization. The vibrational and rotational temperature were measured by mapping the vibrational and rotational distributions of N2(+) emission with high spectroscopic resolution and absolute intensity measurements. Measured vibrational temperatures were in the range from 18,000 to 36,000 K, and rotational temperatures were in the range from 300 to 370 K. The irradiance of 391.44 nm line and rotational and vibrational temperatures were analyzed to define argon and CO2 effects on the N2(+) emission. When Ar or CO2 is injected with N2, the rotational temperature did not change. The irradiances were reduced by 34 percent and 78 percent for the 50 percent of mixture of Ar and CO2, respectively. The vibrational temperatures were increased by 24.1 percent and 82.9 percent for the 50 percent of mixture of Ar and CO2, respectively. It appears that there are no significant effects from small concentrations of Ar and CO2 at the upper atmosphere flight region.
The structural-phase state of the treated sample surface was investigated by TEM. It was shown by the TEM and VIMS method that the improvement of tribological properties of the copper samples can be associated with an increase of relaxation ability due to a significant increase of the nitrogen concentration in it, which is accompanied by the refinement of fcc-Cu main phase grain structure and the formation of nanopores or gas bubbles in the ion-modified surface layer. A high-dose implantation of nitrogen ions and copper samples increases the wear resistance in 1.5-4.5 times together with a counterbody from the same material in the argon environment. The microhardness of the copper samples also increases.
Structural defects formed in epitaxial GaAs layers as a result of 250-keV N{sup +} ion implantation to doses within 5 × 10{sup 14}–5 × 10{sup 16} cm{sup –2} have been studied by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy techniques. No amorphization of the ion-implanted layer took place in the entire dose range studied. The implantation to doses of 5 × 10{sup 14} and 5 × 10{sup 15} cm{sup –2} led to the appearance of an additional peak on XRD curves, which was related to the formation of a stressed GaAs layer with positive deformation arising due to the formation of point-defect clusters. The implantation to a dose of 5 × 10{sup 16} cm{sup –2} led to the formation of a dense structure of extended defects in the implanted layer, which was accompanied by the relaxation of macrostresses to the initial state.