Cross-section measurements of the {sup 14}N({alpha},p){sup 17}O and {sup 14}N({alpha},{alpha}){sup 14}N reactions between 3.5 and 6 MeV

Journal Article · Wed Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3000661· OSTI ID:21185880

Terwagne, G; Genard, G ^[1]; Yedji, M; Ross, G G ^[2]

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1. Centre de Recherche en Physique de la Matiere et du Rayonnement, Laboratoire d'Analyses par Reactions Nucleaires, University of Namur (FUNDP), 61 Rue de Bruxelles, B-5000 Namur (Belgium)
2. INRS-Energie, Materiaux et Telecommunications, 1650 Boulevard Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, Quebec J3X 1S2 (Canada)

The cross-section of the {sup 14}N({alpha},p{sub 0}){sup 17}O reaction at angles of 90 deg., 135 deg., and 165 deg. was measured for incident energies between 3.5 and 6.0 MeV simultaneously with the cross-section of the {sup 14}N({alpha},{alpha}){sup 14}N reaction at 165 deg. Interference between these two reactions at the angle of 165 deg. and around 3.9 MeV was taken into account. The technique used is very powerful, thanks to the Ta{sub 450nm}/C target being implanted with a high dose of nitrogen. The {sup 14}N({alpha},p{sub 0}){sup 17}O reaction exhibits some resonances allowing traces of nitrogen to be quantified. This reaction also offers an alternative to the {sup 14}N(d,{alpha}){sup 12}C and {sup 14}N({sup 3}He,p){sup 16}O nuclear reactions for profiling nitrogen in the first few microns below the surface. Moreover, by using {alpha}-particles, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy can be performed simultaneously with a good mass resolution to depth profile high Z elements in the sample. The sensitivity of these reactions (0.1%) has been tested by measuring the nitrogen traces in a titanium oxide film deposited on silicon. Depth profiling of nitrogen in a TiN layer on a silicon substrate was also performed. In addition, we publish for the first time some cross-sections values for the {sup 14}N({alpha},p{sub 1}){sup 17}O reaction at 90 deg. and 165 deg.; this measurement is a challenging task.

• OSTI ID: 21185880
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 104; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
ALPHA PARTICLES
ALPHA REACTIONS
CARBON 12
CROSS SECTIONS
DEUTERON REACTIONS
HELIUM 3 BEAMS
HELIUM 3 REACTIONS
MASS RESOLUTION
MEV RANGE 01-10
NITROGEN
NITROGEN 14
NITROGEN 14 TARGET
OXYGEN 16
OXYGEN 17
PROTONS
RUTHERFORD BACKSCATTERING SPECTROSCOPY
SILICON
SUBSTRATES
TITANIUM NITRIDES
TITANIUM OXIDES