Origins of ion irradiation-induced Ga nanoparticle motion on GaAs surfaces

Journal Article · Mon Aug 12 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4818154· OSTI ID:22218227

Kang, M.; Wu, J. H.; Chen, H. Y.; Thornton, K.; Goldman, R. S. ^[1]; Sofferman, D. L. ^[1]; Beskin, I. ^[2]

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2136 (United States)
2. Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1040 (United States)

We have examined the origins of ion irradiation-induced nanoparticle (NP) motion. Focused-ion-beam irradiation of GaAs surfaces induces random walks of Ga NPs, which are biased in the direction opposite to that of ion beam scanning. Although the instantaneous NP velocities are constant, the NP drift velocities are dependent on the off-normal irradiation angle, likely due to a difference in surface non-stoichiometry induced by the irradiation angle dependence of the sputtering yield. It is hypothesized that the random walks are initiated by ion irradiation-induced thermal fluctuations, with biasing driven by anisotropic mass transport.

• OSTI ID: 22218227
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 7; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANISOTROPY
FLUCTUATIONS
GALLIUM
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
ION BEAMS
IRRADIATION
NANOSTRUCTURES
RANDOMNESS
SPUTTERING
STOICHIOMETRY
SURFACES
VELOCITY