T. Ahlgren

Origin of improved luminescence efficiency after annealing of Ga(In)NAs materials grown by molecular-beam epitaxy

Positron-annihilation measurements and nuclear reaction analysis [utilizing the 14N(d,p)15N and 14N(d,He)12C reactions] in conjunction with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry in the channeling geometry were used to study the defects in as-grown Ga(In)NAs materials grown by molecular beam epitaxy using a radio-frequency plasma nitrogen source. Our data unambiguously show the existence of vacancy-type defects, which we attribute to Ga vacancies, and nitrogen interstitials in the as-grown nitride–arsenide epilayers. These point defects, we believe, are responsible for the low luminescence efficiency of as-grown Ga(In)NAs materials and the enhanced diffusion process during annealing.

Comparison of TOF-ERDA and nuclear resonance reaction techniques for range profile measurements of keV energy implants

A comparative study on the range measurements of keV energy implants by the Time-of-Flight Elastic Recoil Detection Analysis (TOF-ERDA) and conventionally used nuclear resonance reaction methods has been performed for 20–100 keV 15N+ ions implanted into crystalline silicon. Range profiles of 15N atoms were chosen because they can be measured accurately using a very strong and narrow resonance at Ep = 429.6 keV in the reaction 15N(p,αγ)12C which provides a challenging test for other methods. The measured range profiles were simulated by molecular dynamics calculations where the interatomic NSi pair potential is deduced from first principles calculations. The electronic stopping power for 20–100 keV nitrogen ions in silicon is deduced from the comparison of the measured and simulated range profiles. The results are discussed in the framework of the applicability of the TOF-ERDA technique for keV energy ion range measurements.

Diffusion of hydrogen in bcc tungsten studied with first principle calculations

First principle calculations were used to study the hydrogen migration properties in bulk bcc tungsten. Hydrogen has low solubility in tungsten and occupies the tetrahedral interstitial site with an energy difference of 0.38 eV compared to the octahedral interstitial site. The hydrogen diffusion coefficient was evaluated using the harmonic transition state theory and was found to agree with the experimental results at temperatures above 1500 K. The height of the migration barrier between two adjacent tetrahedral sites was found to be 0.21 eV, which is lower than the value 0.39 eV obtained for the migration barrier from degassing measurements in the temperature range between 1100 and 2400 K. The tunneling correction to the diffusion rate provides much better agreement with the experimental result at 29 K than the extrapolated experimental D from high temperature measurements.

Bond-order potential for point and extended defect simulations in tungsten

A reactive interatomic bond-order potential for bcc tungsten is presented. Special attention in the potential development was given for obtaining accurate formation and migration energies for point defects, making the potential useful in atomic scale simulations of point and extended defects. The potential was used to calculate binding energies and trapping distances for vacancies in vacancy clusters and the recombination radius for self-interstitial atom and monovacancy.

Concentration of interstitial and substitutional nitrogen in GaNxAs1−x

The interstitial to substitutional nitrogen atoms as a function of concentration in GaNAs were determined by nuclear reaction analysis utilizing the 14N(d,p)15N and 14N(d,α)12C reactions using ion channeling technique. The GaNAs films with mean nitrogen concentration between 0.3% and 3%, measured with secondary ion mass spectrometry and time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis, were grown using gas-source molecular-beam epitaxy. The fraction of nitrogen atoms occupying substitutional sites was observed to increase linearly with increasing nitrogen amount, while the concentration of interstitial nitrogen was nearly constant at 2×1019 cm−3 throughout the concentration region. Annealing at 750 °C decreases the concentration of interstitial nitrogen.

Studies of impurity deposition/implantation in JET divertor tiles using SIMS and ion beam techniques

Abstract At the end of C4 campaign at JET, a 1% SiH4/99% D2 mixture and pure 13CH4 were injected into the torus from the outer divertor wall and from the top of the vessel, respectively, in order to study material transport and scrape-off layer (SOL) flows. A set of MkIIGB tiles was removed during the 2001 shutdown for surface analysis. The tiles were analysed with secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) and time-of-flight elastic recoil detection analysis (TOF-ERDA). 13C was detected in the inner divertor wall tiles implying material transport from the top of the vessel. Silicon was detected mainly at the outer divertor wall tiles and very small amounts were found in the inner divertor wall tiles. Si amounts in the inner divertor wall tiles were so low that rigorous conclusions about material transport from divertor outboard to inboard cannot be made.

Hydrogen migration in diamond-like carbon films

Properties of physical vapor deposited diamondlike carbon (DLC) films and the migration of hydrogen in H+ and 4He+ ion implanted and hydrogen co-deposited DLC films have been studied. Measurements utilizing Rutherford backscattering spectrometry showed that the films studied have an average mass density of 2.6±0.1 g/cm3. The bonding ratio sp3/sp2 is typically 70% measured with the electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis technique. Impurities and their depth distributions were deduced from the particle induced x-ray emission and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurements. Distributions of implanted and co-deposited hydrogen were measured by the nuclear resonance reaction 1H(15N,αγ)12C and SIMS. It was found that annealing behavior of implanted H in DLC has a diffusion like character. The obtained diffusion coefficients resulted in the activation energy of 2.0±0.1 eV. It was observed that in H co-deposited DLC films the temperature of H release varied between 950 and 1070 °C depending on the H ...

Identification of vacancy charge states in diffusion of arsenic in germanium

Diffusion of As into Ge from a GaAs overlayer deposited on p-type Ge substrates has been studied by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry. A concentration-dependent diffusion of As atoms was observed in addition to the concentration-independent diffusion of Ga and As atoms. The concentration dependence is explained by a Fermi-level-dependent diffusion model. Arsenic atoms are shown to diffuse through Ge vacancies with the charge states 2− and 0. No presence of the singly negatively charged vacancies was observed, indicating that Ge vacancy could be a negative U center.

Multiscale modelling of plasma-wall interactions in fusion reactor conditions

The interaction of fusion reactor plasma with the material of the first wall involves a complex multitude of interlinked physical and chemical effects. Hence, modern theoretical treatment of it relies to a large extent on multiscale modelling, i.e. using different kinds of simulation approaches suitable for different length and time scales in connection with each other. In this review article, we overview briefly the physics and chemistry of plasma–wall interactions in tokamak-like fusion reactors, and present some of the most commonly used material simulation approaches relevant for the topic. We also give summaries of recent multiscale modelling studies of the effects of fusion plasma on the modification of the materials of the first wall, especially on swift chemical sputtering, mixed material formation and hydrogen isotope retention in tungsten.

Influence of surface topography on depth profiles obtained by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry

A method for determining correct depth profiles from samples with rough surfaces is presented. The method combines Rutherford backscattering spectrometry with atomic force microscopy. The topographical information obtained by atomic force microscopy is used to calculate the effect of the surface roughness on the backscattering spectrum. As an example, annealed Au/ZnSe heterostructures are studied. Gold grains were observed on the surfaces of the annealed samples. The annealing also caused diffusion of gold into the ZnSe. Backscattering spectra of the samples were measured with a 2 MeV 4He+ ion beam. A scanning nuclear microprobe was used to verify the results by measuring backscattering from grains and from areas of the samples where no grains had been formed during annealing.