Floyd Del McDaniel

Investigation of Structural and Optical Properties of Ag Nanoclusters Formed in Si(100) After Multiple Implantations of Low Energies Ag Ions and Post-Thermal Annealing at a Temperature Below the Ag-Si Eutectic Point

This paper investigates the synthesis of Ag NCs in Si(100) substrate by implanting multiple energies and fluences of Ag ions and subsequent thermal annealing.

High LET radiation effects microscopy for ICs

Radiation effects microscopy (REM) has been used at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) for several years to study radiation hard ICs. As ICs become more radiation hardened, ions with larger linear energy transfer (LET) are needed to study their response to radiation. This higher LET can be achieved by using high energy, heavy ions. To carry out REM on ICs, the ion beam has to be focused to a submicron spot, which is very problematic for these ions. A new high LET system was developed at SNL, which combines two entirely new concepts in accelerator physics and nuclear microscopy. A radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linac is used to boost the energy of ions accelerated by a conventional tandem Van de Graaff-pelletron to velocities of 1.9 MeV/amu. To circumvent the problem of focusing high-energy ions, we invented ion-electron emission microscopy (IEEM). Instead of focusing the ion beam and scanning it over the device under test (DUT), the positions of the ion hits are determined by projecting ion-induced secondary electrons at high magnification onto a single-electron position sensitive detector (PSD). Then, the two position signals (x and y) are recorded in coincidence with each REM event. Details of the RFQ booster and the IEEM system are given with initial results on Sandia manufactured radiation hardened ICs.

Improvement in the photocurrent collection due to enhanced absorption of light by synthesizing staggered layers of silver nanoclusters in silicon

The quest for increased efficiency of solar cells has driven the research in synthesizing photovoltaic cells involving Si based materials. The efficiency of solar cells involving crystalline Si is stalled around 25% for the last decade. Recently Shi et al. had shown that light trapping can be enhanced by fabricating double layers of Ag nanoparticles in silicon based materials. The light trapping is critically important in a photo devices such as solar cells in order to increase light absorption and efficiency. In the present work, we report enhancement in the absorption of light in Ag ion implanted Si substrates. Multiple low energies Ag ions, ranging from ∼80 keV to ∼30 keV, with different fluences ranging from ∼1 × 1016 to ∼1 × 1017 atoms/cm2 were sequentially implanted into commercially available Si (100) substrates followed by post-thermal annealing to create different sizes of Ag nanoclusters (NC) at different depths in the top 100 nm of the Si. The absorbance of light is increased in Ag implanted Si...

ION BEAM MATERIALS ANALYSIS AND MODIFICATIONS AT keV TO MeV ENERGIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS

The University of North Texas (UNT) Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory (IBMAL) has four particle accelerators including a National Electrostatics Corporation (NEC) 9SDH-2 3 MV tandem Pelletron, a NEC 9SH 3 MV single-ended Pelletron, and a 200 kV Cockcroft-Walton. A fourth HVEC AK 2.5 MV Van de Graaff accelerator is presently being refurbished as an educational training facility. These accelerators can produce and accelerate almost any ion in the periodic table at energies from a few keV to tens of MeV. They are used to modify materials by ion implantation and to analyze materials by numerous atomic and nuclear physics techniques. The NEC 9SH accelerator was recently installed in the IBMAL and subsequently upgraded with the addition of a capacitive-liner and terminal potential stabilization system to reduce ion energy spread and therefore improve spatial resolution of the probing ion beam to hundreds of nanometers. Research involves materials modification and synthesis by ion implantation for photonic, electronic, and magnetic applications, micro-fabrication by high energy (MeV) ion beam lithography, microanalysis of biomedical and semiconductor materials, development of highenergy ion nanoprobe focusing systems, and educational and outreach activities. An overview of the IBMAL facilities and some of the current research projects are discussed.

A Dual Neutron/Gamma Source for the Fissmat Inspection for Nuclear Detection (FIND) System

Shielded special nuclear material (SNM) is very difficult to detect and new technologies are needed to clear alarms and verify the presence of SNM. High-energy photons and neutrons can be used to actively interrogate for heavily shielded SNM, such as highly enriched uranium (HEU), since neutrons can penetrate gamma-ray shielding and gamma-rays can penetrate neutron shielding. Both source particles then induce unique detectable signals from fission. In this LDRD, we explored a new type of interrogation source that uses low-energy proton- or deuteron-induced nuclear reactions to generate high fluxes of mono-energetic gammas or neutrons. Accelerator-based experiments, computational studies, and prototype source tests were performed to obtain a better understanding of (1) the flux requirements, (2) fission-induced signals, background, and interferences, and (3) operational performance of the source. The results of this research led to the development and testing of an axial-type gamma tube source and the design/construction of a high power coaxial-type gamma generator based on the {sup 11}B(p,{gamma}){sup 12}C nuclear reaction.

Investigation of beam transmission in A 9SDH-2 3.0 MV NEC pelletron tandem accelerator

Electrostatic tandem accelerators are widely used to accelerate ions for experiments in materials science such as high energy ion implantation, materials modification, and analyses. Many applications require high beam current as well as high beam brightness at the target; thus, maximizing the beam transmission through such electrostatic accelerators becomes important. The Ion Beam Modification and Analysis Laboratory (IBMAL) at University of North Texas is equipped with four accelerators, one of which is a 9SDH-2 3.0 MV National Electrostatic Corporation (NEC) Pelletron® tandem accelerator. The tandem accelerator is equipped with three ion sources: one radio frequency-He ion source (Alphatross) and two ion sources of Cs-sputter type, the SNICS II (Source of Negative Ions by Cesium Sputtering) and a Cs-sputter source for trace-element accelerator based mass spectrometry. This work presents a detailed study of the beam transmission of hydrogen, silicon, and silver ions through the accelerator using the SNIC...

Molecular dissociation in dilute gas

The charge state distributions (CSD) produced during molecular dissociation are important to both Trace Element Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (TEAMS) and the ion implantation industry. The CSD of 1.3–1.7 MeV SiN+, SiMg+, SiMn+, and SiZn+ molecules have been measured for elements that do not form atomic negative ions (N, Mg, Mn, and Zn) using a NEC Tandem Pelletron accelerator. The molecules were produced in a Cs sputter negative ion source, accelerated, magnetically analyzed, and then passed through an N2 gas cell. The neutral and charged breakups where analyzed using an electrostatic deflector and measured with particle detectors. Equilibrium CSD were determined and comparisons made between molecular and atomic ion data.

Ion beam induced charge collection (IBICC) from integrated circuit test structures using a 10 MeV carbon microbeam

As future sizes of Integrated Circuits (ICs) continue to shrink the sensitivity of these devices, particularly SRAMs and DRAMs, to natural radiation is increasing. In this paper, the Ion Beam Induced Charge Collection (IBICC) technique is utilized to simulate neutron-induced Si recoil effects in ICS. The IBICC measurements, conducted at the Sandia National Laboratories employed a 10 MeV carbon microbeam with 1pm diameter spot to scan test structures on specifically designed ICS. With the aid of layout information, an analysis of the charge collection efficiency from different test areas is presented. In the present work a 10 MeV Carbon high-resolution microbeam was used to demonstrate the differential charge collection efficiency in ICS with the aid of the IC design Information. When ions strike outside the FET, the charge was only measured on the outer ring, and decreased with strike distance from this diode. When ions directly strike the inner and ring diodes, the collected charge was localized to these diodes. The charge for ions striking the gate region was shared between the inner and ring diodes. I The IBICC measurements directly confirmed the interpretations made in the earlier work.