Ion beam mixing at Fe:Al2O3 interface: a conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy study

The effect of ion beam induced atomic mixing and subsequent thermal transformations at the Fe:Al2O3 interface have been investigated by means of conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy. It is shown that the as-deposited and ion beam mixed samples exhibit distinctly different features. In particular, the ion beam mixed sample in as-mixed state shows the presence of FeAl2O4 along with non-stoichiometric FeO. Upon annealing at 6000C it shows precipitation of α-Fe with reduced contribution of FeAl2O4. The study of dose dependence of ion beam mixing has also revealed interesting features regarding the ion beam induced interface reactions. (Auth.)