Ion beam mixing of chromium or zirconium films with sapphire

Ion beam mixing of thin metallic films deposited on sapphire substrates was studied for chromium or zirconium films deposited on single crystalline {alpha}-Al{sub 2}0{sub 3} substrates. Evidence for the influence of equilibrium thermodynamic factors was sought by comparing the effects of bombarding with oxygen ions (300 and 1073 K) with those of neon ions (300 K). Thermodynamic calculations indicate that mixing might occur for Zr/sapphire at 1073 K but not at 300 K. Chromium/sapphire should not be mixed at either temperature. The implantation energy placed the peak oxygen concentration at the metal/sapphire interface in an attempt to maintain an equilibrium ratio of cations/anions and promote a radiation-induced chemical reaction across the interface. Rutherford backscattering-ion channeling measurements indicated that the widths of ``mixed`` regions were consistent with those predicted from ballistic considerations. Other experiments employed a heavier ion (krypton) as the mixing ion (300 K) in order to increase the mixing efficiency. Rutherford backscattering-ion channeling and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to determine the extent and nature of any interface modification. XPS results indicated that only metallic chromium (Cr{sup 0}) was present near the interface before and after irradiation with Kr at 300 K. Zirconium exhibited only the metallic state (Zr{sup 0}) in the as-deposited film but was present as both Zr{sup 0} and Zr{sup 4{plus}} after irradiation. Some metallic aluminum (AI{sup O}) was detected near the Zr/sapphire interface, suggesting that a local chemical reaction between Zr and the sapphire occurred during bombardment. No long-range material transport was detected for any experimental condition examined; the width of the ``mixed` region in each case was consistent with that expected for ballistic effects