Growth of c-diamond, n-diamond and i-carbon nanophases in carbon-ion-implanted fused quartz

Abstract

Combined high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected-area electron diffraction and parallel electron-energy-loss spectroscopy are used to characterize nanophases of carbon found embedded in fused quartz. These appear after implantation of 1 MeV carbon ions, followed by annealing in argon, oxygenand forming gas for lh at 1100°C. For argon, virtually all the carbon diffuses out of the substrate with no observable carbon clusters for all doses studied. After annealing in oxygen, acrystalline COxphase is identified at the end of range, following a dose of 5 × 1017 carbon ions cm−2. Three nanocrystalline carbon phases, including diamond, appear after annealing in forming gas; these..