Journal Article

PUBDB-2025-01774

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Atomic level mechanism of nanoripple formation on silicon by oblique angle irradiation with molecular nitrogen ions

Bukharia, K.Extern* ; Karmakar, P.Extern* ; Dwivedi, J.Extern*DESY* ; Gupta, M.Extern* ; Reddy, V. R.Extern* ; Pandit, P.Extern* ; Koyiloth Vayalil, S.Extern*DESY* ; Keller, T. F.XFEL.EU*DESY* ; Stierle, A.XFEL.EU*DESY* ; Roth, S. V.XFEL.EU*DESY* ; Gupta, A. (Corresponding author)Extern*

2025
Elsevier Amsterdam

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1016/j.apsusc.2025.163576  doi:10.3204/PUBDB-2025-01774

Abstract: Reactive ion beam sputtering is an efficient tool to produce modifications in the surface topography in the form of periodic nanoripples with controlled modulation period and amplitude. In the present work, the atomic level processes responsible for nanoripple formation on silicon surface by oblique angle irradiation with molecular nitrogen ions have been studied. A variety of complementary techniques have been used to elucidate the structural and compositional changes occurring in the surface and sub-surface regions with irradiation fluence. It is shown that the implanted nitrogen ions react with the Si substrate to form Si$_3$N$_4$ phase in the subsurface region. GI-SAXS measurements suggest that the buried nitride layer gets phase separated to generate periodic variation in the density at nanometer length scale. With increasing fluence, the surface layer of Si gets sputtered out and the nitride layer reaches the surface. At this stage an unequal sputtering of nitride-rich and nitride-depleted regions results in development of surface instability which is already periodic in nature. Further irradiation results in development of well-defined surface ripples as a combined effect of composition-dependent and curvature-dependent sputtering. A direct chemical evidence for the phase separation of the nitride layer comes from the Auger electron scanning microscopy.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. FS DOOR-User (FS DOOR-User)
2. Nanolab (FS-NL)
3. Experimentebetreuung PETRA III (FS-PET-D)
4. Sustainable Materials (FS-SMA)

Research Program(s):

1. 632 - Materials – Quantum, Complex and Functional Materials (POF4-632) (POF4-632)
2. 6G3 - PETRA III (DESY) (POF4-6G3) (POF4-6G3)
3. FS-Proposal: I-20231174 (I-20231174) (I-20231174)
4. INDIA-DESY - INDIA-DESY Collaboration (2020_Join2-INDIA-DESY) (2020_Join2-INDIA-DESY)

Experiment(s):

1. PETRA Beamline P03 (PETRA III)
2. DESY NanoLab: Microscopy

Appears in the scientific report 2025

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Database coverage:
; ; ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Engineering, Computing and Technology ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 5 ; JCR ; Nationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

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