Formation of swift heavy ion tracks on a rutile TiO2 (001) surface

• Published in: Journal of applied crystallography 2016-10, Vol.49 (5), p.1704-1712
• Main Authors: Karlušić, Marko, Bernstorff, Sigrid, Siketić, Zdravko, Šantić, Branko, Bogdanović-Radović, Ivančica, Jakšić, Milko, Schleberger, Marika, Buljan, Maja
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: atomic force microscopy; elastic recoil detection analysis; GISAXS; grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering; ion tracks; Research Papers; rutile; swift heavy ions; TiO2
• ISSN: 1600-5767; 0021-8898; 1600-5767
• DOI: 10.1107/S1600576716013704

Nanostructuring of surfaces and two‐dimensional materials using swift heavy ions offers some unique possibilities owing to the deposition of a large amount of energy localized within a nanoscale volume surrounding the ion trajectory. To fully exploit this feature, the morphology of nanostructures formed after ion impact has to be known in detail. In the present work the response of a rutile TiO2 (001) surface to grazing‐incidence swift heavy ion irradiation is investigated. Surface ion tracks with the well known intermittent inner structure were successfully produced using 23 MeV I ions. Samples irradiated with different ion fluences were investigated using atomic force microscopy and grazing‐incidence small‐angle X‐ray scattering. With these two complementary approaches, a detailed description of the swift heavy ion impact sites, i.e. the ion tracks on the surface, can be obtained even for the case of multiple ion track overlap. In addition to the structural investigation of surface ion tracks, the change in stoichiometry of the rutile TiO2 (001) surface during swift heavy ion irradiation was monitored using in situ time‐of‐flight elastic recoil detection analysis, and a preferential loss of oxygen was found. Formation of ion tracks on a rutile TiO2 (001) surface after exposure to swift heavy ions under grazing incidence is studied using atomic force microscopy, grazing‐incidence small‐angle X‐ray scattering and in situ time‐of‐flight elastic recoil detection analysis.