Localized thermal spike driven morphology and electronic structure transformation in swift heavy ion irradiated TiO₂ nanorods.

ABSTRACT: Irradiation of materials by high energy (∼MeV) ions causes intense electronic excitations through inelastic transfer of energy that significantly modifies physicochemical properties. We report the effect of 100 MeV Ag ion irradiation and resultant localized (∼few nm) thermal spike on vertically oriented TiO₂ nanorods (∼100 nm width) towards tailoring their structural and electronic properties. Rapid quenching of the thermal spike induced molten state within ∼0.5 picosecond results in a distortion in the crystalline structure that increases with increasing fluences (ions per cm²). Microstructural investigations reveal ion track formation along with a corrugated surface of the nanorods. The thermal spike simulation validates the experimental observation of the ion track

SUBMITTER: Dey S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9419832 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature