ION-BEAM-INDUCED ATOMIC TRANSPORT THROUGH BILAYER INTERFACES OF LOW-ZAND MEDIUM-Z METALS AND THEIR NITRIDES

A detailed investigation of ion-beam induced atomic transport through bi-layer interfaces of low- and medium-Z metals and their nitrides as a function of the irradiation conditions and the materials combination s allowed us to distinguish between five different mixing mechanisms. In the strongly bound nitrides ballistic transport dominates the atomi c intermixing, while for the metallic bi-layers diffusion in local (li ght- and medium-mass ions) and global thermal spikes (very heavy ions) seems to be the major mixing mechanism. Heavy ions were also found to initiate end-of-range spikes even in systems where mixing in the reco il cascade is of purely ballistic character. Besides these athermal pr ocesses, irradiation at higher temperatures may result in thermally ac tivated radiation-enhanced diffusion.