Analysis of atomic depth profiles directly extracted from Rutherford backscattering data for co-sputtered and ion irradiated Au-Ni films

摘要

Co-sputtered Au-Ni thin films having thickness of 30 nm were deposited onSi(100) substrates and irradiated with 160 keV ^{40}Ar^{+} under ambientcondition at a number of fluences and analyzed using Rutherford backscatteringspectrometry (RBS). The variation of Au signal counts in the RBS spectra withion dose has been investigated. The distribution of Au, Ni and Si atoms overvarious depths within the as deposited and irradiated samples have beencomputed using the backscattering data by means of a direct analytical method.Au and Si profiles have been fitted with error function and the relativechanges in variance for various ion fluences compared to that of as depositedprofiles have been studied. The spreading rates of different constituentsacross the interface due to Ar ion impact have also been discussed.