Surface studies on 100 MeV Ag7+ ions and 150 MeV Ni11+ ions irradiated nanocrystalline ferrite thin films

We have systematically studied the effect of swift heavy ion bombardment on surface morphologies of nanocrystalline ferrite thin films using atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique. From TRIM calculation, 150 MeV Ni11+ ions and 100 MeV Ag7+ ions have been selected to suffice the two irradiation conditions namely S-e < S-eth and S-e similar to S-eth, respectively. Nanocrystalline films of Li0.5Mn0.1Fe2.4O4 have been grown on Si(100) substrate by using rf magnetron sputtering technique. Implementation of the first condition (150 MeV Ni11+ ions) resulted in irradiation induced growth in the grain volumes at the fluence of 2.5 x 10(12) ions/cm(2). The results of the second experimental condition (100 MeV Ag7+ ions) are entirely different showing deep ditches (holes) and channels on the surfaces. Online elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) has been performed to observe the effects on preferential loss of the elements in the films. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.