ION-BEAM MIXING AND SOLID-STATE REACTION OF FE-ZR MULTILAYERS

The amorphization of an Fe-Zr multilayer film due to ion-beam mixing w ith protons and due to solid-state reaction is studied in detail using backscatter Mossbauer spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Auger elec tron spectroscopy. The local structure of the amorphous phase produced by both processes is found to be very similar based on the Mossbauer results. The dose dependence of the ion-beam-mixed phase fraction can be accounted for approximately by a collision cascade mixing model. In complete amorphization of the Fe was observed as a result of the proto n irradiation with a large enough dose to produce apparent saturation whereas complete amorphization occurred for the identical multilayer s tructure via solid-state reaction. The latter was characterized by a t hermal activation energy of 0.7 eV.