Zubaryev Y. Structure, diffusion and the initial stages of phase formation in nanoscale multilayer metal-silicon systems at annealing and irradiation

Object: high periodical and smooth Mo/Si and Sc/Si multilayers with period 4-35 nm, prepared by magnetron sputtering method on polished silicon substrates. The purpose: establishment of diffusion mechanisms, structural and phase transformation in Sc/Si and Mo/Si multilayers during preparation and at the initial stages of annealing and irradiation. Methods: X-ray diffractometry, X-ray strain measurement, X-ray small angle diffraction, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Results: amorphous intermixed zones with chemical composition of MoSi2 and ScSi are formed at the interfaces in as-deposited Mo/Si and Sc/Si multilayers, correspondingly; MoSi2 and ScSi silicides grow during annealing too; silicon atoms were found to be the fastest diffusion atoms in the multilayers, and silicide formation process occurs at the metal-silicide interface; ion-beam mixing at the interfaces takes place during irradiation of the Mo/Si multilayers by He+ and Ar+ ions, the thickness of intermixed zones increase linearly on the dose and average composition of the intermixed zones formed during irradiation by He+ and Ar+ ions is MoSi8.2 и MoSi3.9, correspondingly; the results of detailed study of structural changes in Sc/Si multilayers when exposed to intense X-ray laser pulses are reported. The field of application: solid state physics, nanophysics and nanotechnologies.