ION-BEAM DEPOSITION

Bombardment of surfaces with ions of energy below the penetration thre shold enables film growth to occur under uniquely controlled condition s. The ion beam deposition technique has been used to grow epitaxial t hin films at low temperatures and to synthesise a variety of compound materials such as oxides, nitrides and silicides at surfaces. The tech nique involves the use of mass analysed, often isotropically pure, mon o-energetic beams of ions in the energy range below about 100 eV. This energy range is of both scientific and technological interest since i t encompasses the region in which the threshold energies for penetrati on, radiation damage creation and sputtering occur. The present paper reviews the technology of the ultra-low energy intense ion beams and t heir application in thin film growth. The potential of the technique f or producing novel materials and for reducing the growth temperatures in nanostructure application will also be discussed.