Nanoscale density fluctuations in swift heavy ion irradiated amorphous SiO{sub 2}

Journal Article · Thu Dec 15 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3671614· OSTI ID:22036790

Kluth, P; Giulian, R; Ridgway, M C ^[1]; Pakarinen, O H; Djurabekova, F; Nordlund, K ^[2]; Byrne, A P ^[3]

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1. Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200 (Australia)
2. Department of Physics and Helsinki Institute of Physics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Finland)
3. Department of Nuclear Physics, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200 (Australia)

We report on the observation of nanoscale density fluctuations in 2 {mu}m thick amorphous SiO{sub 2} layers irradiated with 185 MeV Au ions. At high fluences, in excess of approximately 5 x 10{sup 12} ions/cm{sup 2}, where the surface is completely covered by ion tracks, synchrotron small angle x-ray scattering measurements reveal the existence of a steady state of density fluctuations. In agreement with molecular dynamics simulations, this steady state is consistent with an ion track ''annihilation'' process, where high-density regions generated in the periphery of new tracks fill in low-density regions located at the center of existing tracks.

• OSTI ID: 22036790
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 110, Issue 12; Other Information: (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
AMORPHOUS STATE
DENSITY
FLUCTUATIONS
GOLD IONS
ION BEAMS
IRRADIATION
LAYERS
MEV RANGE
MOLECULAR DYNAMICS METHOD
NANOSTRUCTURES
PARTICLE TRACKS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON OXIDES
SMALL ANGLE SCATTERING
SURFACES
SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
X-RAY DIFFRACTION