Molecular nitrogen implanted in Al2O3 by low energy N2+ ion bombardment

Alumina subjected to low energy (similar to0.5 keV) N-2(+) ion bombardment stabilizes diatomic nitrogen within its matrix. This is confirmed by near edge X-ray absorption spectra of the N K threshold for the implanted nitrogen species that reveals the typical vibrational structure (with the same vibrational spacing) of molecular gaseous di-nitrogen. The analysis of the N KLL resonant Auger emission spectra of the nitrogen implanted alumina samples is characterized by similar features as those found for N-2 in the gas phase. This reaffirms that the incorporated nitrogen in alumina by low energy ion bombardment is in molecular form. The use of resonant Auger spectroscopy is proposed as a general tool to ascertain the formation of di-nitrogen in implanted phases when the photon bandwidth at the N K edge is not narrow enough to resolve the corresponding vibrational structure by X-ray absorption spectroscopy. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Ltd.