Formation of Defect Clusters in SrTiO3 Crystals Implanted with Xenon Ions

Abstract

SrTiO3 crystals were implanted with 100 keV xenon (Xe+) ions at 673 or 1073 K up to 2.0 × 1020 ions m−2. Defect clusters formed in the ion-implanted samples were investigated with conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Nanometer-sized clusters were formed in the samples. The clusters grew large in size after post-implantation annealing and with increasing the implantation dose. The clusters were faceted with {100}, or {110} of SrTiO3. Though the nano-sized clusters were expected to contain Xe atoms, they were not in crystalline state. The results suggest that even if the clusters contain Xe atoms, they also contain other point defects such as vacancies.