Formation of ZnSe Nanoclusters in Silicon Dioxide Layers by High-Fluence Ion Implantation: Experimental Data and Simulation Results

Abstract

The synthesis of ZnSe nanoclusters produced by high-fluence implantation of Zn⁺ and Se⁺ ions into silica is numerically simulated. The developed model is based on solving the system of the convection–diffusion–reaction equations. The ion-beam synthesized nanoclusters were identified using the trans-mission electron diffraction method as ZnSe nanocrystals. According to the transmission electron microscopy data, the nanocrystal density amounts to 1.15×10¹² cm⁻², and the mean diameter is 5 nm. The fraction of the total number of implanted Se atoms bound with Zn during the formation of  ZnSe nanocrystals was counted from the transmission electron microscopy images. It amounts to ∼5.6 at.%. This value was used to calculate the mean values of the radiation-enhanced diffusion coefficients in the silica. For Zn atoms D_Zn=1.94×10−16 cm²/s, and for Se atoms D_Se= 2.88×10−16 cm²/s. A comparison of simulation results with experimental data revealed a reasonable correlation.