Investigation of V/Si mixing induced by swift heavy ions

Ion beam mixing with low energy ions has been well studied and understood. Ion beam mixing with high energy heavy ions was initiated in the early nineties. The present experiment is carried out for investigation of ion beam mixing in V/Si system induced by electronic excitation. An ions of 120 MeV were taken at different fluences upto 10(14) ions/cm(2) for this purpose. The mixing at the interface was investigated by secondary ion mass spectroscopy and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. We observe a linear dependence of the atomic mixing on the fluence. A mixed region of about similar to26 nm was observed at the fluence of 10(14) ions/cm(2). Possible mechanisms of swift heavy ion induced mixing in the present case are discussed. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.