Rutherford back-scattering spectroscopic and channelling studies were made of epitaxially grown Ag films which had been grown onto Si(100) substrates, and bombarded with 12C2+, 19F2+ or 28Si2+ ions, with energies ranging from 0.5 to 4MeV, at 200 or -150C. It was found that the quality of the Ag films was considerable improved by bombardment. For example, irradiation with 0.5MeV 28Si ions, to 2 x 1016/cm2 at 200C, reduced the channelling minimum yield from 55 to 6% at the Ag surface. This improvement in crystalline quality was attributed to a decrease in mosaic spread in the Ag film. Also, with greater crystallinity, more radiation-induced defects were produced.

K.Takahiro, S.Nagata, S.Yamaguchi: Applied Physics Letters, 1996, 69[19], 2828-30