Transport of oxygen atoms mediated by electronic excitation

Diffusion of oxygen from substrate to the film was observed under the influ ence of large electronic excitation. CuO thin film similar to 210 nm on flo at glass was irradiated with 210 MeV I ions. We noticed the transport of ox ygen from the substrate to the CuO him through the interface. The amount of oxygen transport From glass to the film was found to be fluence dependent. The loss of oxygen from the films was also observed. The erosion of Cu ato ms was also observed beyond a fluence of 9.6 x 10(13) ions/cm(2). The measu rements were performed by on-line elastic recoil detection using a large ar ea position sensitive detector. Since the electronic energy loss dominates in the present case of 210 MeV I ions, the observed changes at the interfac e and surface are attributed to inelastic collisions of the incident ions w ith the atomic electrons in the sample. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.