This work describes the application of laser ion source (LIS) for
fabrication of semiconductor nanostructures, as well as relevant equipment
completed and tested in the IPPLM for the EU STREP “SEMINANO”
project and the obtained experimental results. A repetitive pulse laser
system of parameters: energy of ∼0.8 J in a 3.5 ns-pulse, wavelength
of 1.06 μm, repetition rate of up to 10 Hz and intensity on the target
of up to 1011 W/cm2, has been employed to
produce Ge ions intended for ion implantation into SiO2
substrate. Simultaneously, laser-ablated material (atoms clusters debris)
was deposited on the substrate surface. The parameters of the Ge ion
streams (energy and angular distributions, charge states, and ion current
densities) were measured with the use of several ion collectors and an
electrostatic ion energy analyzer. The SiO2 films of thickness
from 20–400 nm prepared on substrates of a single Si crystal were
deposited and implanted with the use of laser-produced germanium of
different properties. The modified SiO2 layers and sample
surface properties were characterized with the use of different methods:
X-ray photoelectron and Auger electron spectroscopy (XPS+AES), Raman
scattering spectroscopy (RSS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The
production of the Ge nano-crystallites has been demonstrated for annealed
samples prepared in different experimental conditions.