A transmission electron microscopy study of inert gases in silicon and iron

Greaves, G

Abstract

This thesis presents a study of inert gas inclusion in iron and silicon, as a result of ion
implantation. The effect of ion implantation conditions on the formation and
development of inert gas bubbles within these solids has been explored, and the mobility
of these nanoscale bubbles during heating has been investigated, linking to work on
empirical equations of state. Also reported on, is the observation of a neon bubble
superlattice in iron, and some preliminary work investigating the retention of helium in
iron, from a high temperature, high pressure diamond anvil cell.
For this work, iron samples have been prepared for transmission electron
microscopy (TEM) via a focused ion beam system (FIB), while silicon tri-layer samples
(monocrystalline silicon — silicon oxide — polycrystalline silicon) were produced by
preparing cross-sectional slices of the bulk material by mechanical polishing and ionbeam
thinning. These samples were subsequently implanted with helium and neon (also
argon in the case of silicon) at the in-situ TEM/ion accelerator MIAMI facility, which is
now at the University of Huddersfield. This enabled real-time observation of bubble
development, from which micrographs and video have been recorded.

Citation

Greaves, G. A transmission electron microscopy study of inert gases in silicon and iron. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Jul 28, 2021
• Award Date: Jan 1, 2012