This can lead to the formation of a mixture of the two materials which may have new and unique properties. Stochiometric compounds can also be formed. Improved adhesion of thin films onto substrates is one possible use of this technique. Direct Ion Beam Deposition Thin-film layers can be deposited on selected substrates by decelerating the ions extracted from an implantation accelerator to energies below the threshold for sputtering. Such layers are isotopically pure and can be deposited epitaxially for some ion-substrate combinations.
Potential applications are unique research samples, waveguides, and low-temperature epitaxy.
Fluorescing nitrogen ions in the deceleration lens of the ion beam deposition apparatus. These processes can occur at the same time dopant atoms are implanted. Under certain conditions, excellent epitaxial regrowth of an amorphous layer can be achieved at sample temperatures lower than possible using thermal annealing, resulting in the incorporation of dopants at very high substitutional levels.