Study Ti/Si interface formation using Xe marker

Ion-beam mixing at the Ti/Si interface was investigated with 7 keV Ti+ ions. The irradiations were carried out at room temperature during self-ion-assisted deposition of Ti-based coatings on silicon. Xe marker layers were prepared by embedding of Xe using ion implantation of 40 keV Xe+ ions, the doses ranging from 1*1014 sm-2 to 27·1014 sm-2. Atomic intermixing was determined by means of Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. RBS data for concentration against depth were compared with data from the RUMP and the RBS codes simulation. Elemental analysis of the coatings shows a high content of oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and silicon. The structures Ti/Si are found to have a deep penetrated Ti, O, C into silicon and a high concentration of Si (up to 10-15 at.%) in the coatings. The observation of an enhanced mixing efficiency with a Xe+ dose possibly indicates that the radiation-enhanced diffusion contributes to the mixing process