Structural and phase changes in iron-on-silicon treated by compression plasma flows

Abstract Studies of structural and phase composition changes in pre-surface layers of iron-on-silicon treated by compression plasma flows (CPFs) (power density absorbed by the target varied from 0.6 to 1.4 GWt/m 2 , pulse duration – 100 μs) are carried out by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The formation of tetragonal iron disilicide α-FeSi 2 , silicon dendrite formation (average tip radius ∼0.2 μm, primary spacing increases with power density of the flow from 0.6 to 2 μm) are revealed. Radiation heat losses are established to be dominant at high power densities.