Atomic transport effects in Kr-ion bombarded ZrO2/Fe ternary system

ZrO2 layers stabilized with 9 mol% Y2O3 Of 35-100 nm thickness were deposit ed by sputtering on 200 nm thick Fe layers on SiO2/Si, The samples were bom barded with 300 kcV Kr ions at RT with doses ranging from 5 x 10(15) to 8 x 10(16) Kr/cm(2). They were analyzed by means of RES, GXRD, TEM and SEM tec hniques. RES analysis revealed important atomic transport across the ZrO2/F e interface. The amount of intermixed atoms increases with increasing ion d ose. As-deposited ZrO2(Y2O3) layers have the tetragonal structure that was transformed upon Kr-ion bombardment into the cubic one. Kr blistering was o bserved for samples implanted with 300 keV Kr ions to doses exceeding 5 x 1 0(16) at./cm(2). The atomic transport of Zr and Fe across the ZrO2/Fe inter face was apparently governed by ballistic ion-beam mixing. The long range m igration of O atoms was also observed and is attributed to Fe oxidation. (C ) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.