Investigation of the entrainment of silicon atoms by "vacancies" formed inan aluminum melt when its surface is exposed to an ion-electron flux

It is established that when a liquid-aluminum-silicon (Al-Si) structure is bombarded with ions and electrons having energies up to 6 keV, the process of Si dissolution in the aluminum is slowed. Mechanisms are put forward for the formation of an excess concentration of atomic-size voids ("vacancies" ), the formation of a vacancy flux normal to the Si surface, and entrainmen t of impurity atoms by this flux. It is shown experimentally that zones com pletely free from Si atoms, where the silicon exhibits maximum solubility, in the aluminum may be formed in the bulk of the aluminum melt. The size of these zones can easily be controlled by the parameters of the ion-electron flux. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7850(99)01108-8].