Synthesis of Porous Germanium with Silver Nanoparticles by Ion Implantation

Abstract

The synthesis of porous PGe layers with Ag nanoparticles is considered when implanted with Ag⁺ ions of single-crystal c-Ge with an energy of 30 keV at a dose of 1.5 × 10¹⁷ ion/cm² and a current density in the ion beam of 5 μA/cm². Scanning electron and atomic force microscopy, as well as X-ray microprobe analysis and the diffraction of reflected electrons, have shown that, as a result of implantation, a porous amorphous PGe layer of a spongy structure consisting of a grid of intersecting nanofilaments with an average diameter of ~10–20 nm is formed on the c-Ge surface. At the ends of the filaments, the formation of Ag nanoparticles is observed. It is found that the formation of pores during implantation with Ag⁺ ions is accompanied by the effective spraying of the Ge surface.