Characteristics Of Altered Layers Formed By Sputtering With A Massive Molecular Ion Containing Diverse Elements With Large Mass Differences

Tetrairidium dodecacarbonyl (Ir-4(CO)(12)) is an organometallic compound called metal cluster complex which has a molecular weight of 1104.9. To investigate its irradiation effect, silicon substrates sputtered with 10 keV Ir-4(CO)(7)(+) were analyzed by high resolution Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Experimental results were examined on the basis of a conventional theory of simultaneous implantation and sputtering. The introduction of oxygen gas during sputtering proved to form a thick oxide layer in the substrate, resulting in iridium segregation at the silicon-oxide interface and carbon accumulation near the surface. It was confirmed that oxygen partial pressure significantly affected the characteristics of an altered layer beneath a sputtered surface. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.