Ion Beams in Materials Processing and Analysis

The main purpose of this book is two-fold. On the one hand, it is meant as a compendium for the physical fundamentals of ion-solid interactions, which are important for the understanding of ion implantation, ion beam sputtering, ion channeling, ion-induced damage formation and ion-beam mixing, but also for the comprehension of ion beam synthesis, ion-induced phase transformation and nano-patterning. Therefore, the book addresses both scientists and research engineers. The principles of ion-solid interactions are not only of fundamental importance, but ion beam irradiation of solids is becoming an increasingly important technique for modifying surface and thin film properties. Therefore, this book is also intended to bridge the gap between fundamental phenomena and their technological applications in modern materials research, development and analysis. The book demonstrates the possibilities for optimisation of solid state properties related to modern functional materials such as doped semiconductors and metal based layers for micro- and nanoelectronics, to metal alloys, nanopatterned surfaces and to new ion beam synthesized materials. A thematic rounding of the book is realized by special ion beam applications in selected materials fields. To these belong the use of ion beam analysis in magnetoelectronic layers, in art and archeometry and also in life sciences. The present book is organized into several chapters covering the range from principal aspects and phenomena over actual technological and device concepts to contemporary challenges in materials science. It thereby mainly concentrates on the relevant fields of semiconductors, nanomaterials, metals and polymers, interfaces and thin layers.