Formation and evolution of ripples on ion-irradiated semiconductor surfaces

Journal Article · Mon Feb 03 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4863471· OSTI ID:22283226

Kang, M.; Wu, J. H.; Ye, W.; Jiang, Y.; Robb, E. A.; Chen, C.

We have examined the formation and evolution of ripples on focused-ion-beam (FIB) irradiated compound semiconductor surfaces. Using initially normal-incidence Ga{sup +} FIB irradiation of InSb, we tuned the local beam incidence angle (θ{sub eff}) by varying the pitch and/or dwell time. For single-pass FIB irradiation, increasing θ{sub eff} induces morphological evolution from pits and islands to ripples to featureless surfaces. Multiple-pass FIB irradiation of the rippled surfaces at a fixed θ{sub eff} leads to island formation on the ripple crests, followed by nanorod (NR) growth. This ripple-NR transition provides an alternative approach for achieving dense arrays of NRs.

• OSTI ID: 22283226
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 104, Issue 5; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
GALLIUM IONS
INCIDENCE ANGLE
INDIUM ANTIMONIDES
ION BEAMS
IRRADIATION
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SURFACES