Ion Implantation Induced Disorder in Ni Studied by Rutherford Backscattering and Electron Microscopy

The disordering effects of Dy+, Pb+ and Xe+ ions implanted into Ni have been investigated by Rutherford backscattering and transmission electron microscopy. Following room temperature implantation of Ni with Dy, RBS analysis indicates a disorder structure characteristic of implanted semiconductors which are rendered amorphous by ion bombardment. TEM confirms the formation of a non-crystalline Ni phase following Dy ion bombardment. No such amorphous Ni phase was observed for Pb implantations. The annealing of the implantation-induced Ni disorder has been examined in some detail and the results emphasise the powerful approach that a combination of RBS and TEM offers for analysis of ion implanted metals.