Implantation of ions produced by the use of high power iodine laser

The iodine high power Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS), emitting radiation at 438 nm wavelength (3rd-harmonic of a fundamental radiation wavelength equal to 1315 nm), was employed to irradiate in vacuum different metallic targets (Cu, Ag and Ta). The high energy (up to 230 J) short (400 ps) laser pulses produce non-equilibrium plasma expanding mainly along the normal to the target surface. Plasma contains high charge state ions, with maximum charge states of 27(+), 36(+) and 49(+) for Cu, Ag and Ta, respectively. Time-of-flight (TOF) measurements, performed with the use of an electrostatic ion energy analyser (IEA) placed along the target normal, indicate that the maximum recorded ion kinetic energy is higher than 900 keV for Cu and Ag ions and than 5 MeV for Ta. The laser-produced ions have been implanted into different substrates (polymers, C, Al, Si and Ti) placed at different distances and angles with respect to the target normal. In order to investigate an implantation depth, a density profile of implanted ions and an implanted dose, the samples have been analysed by using the 1.7 MeV helium Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The energies of the ions determined with the use of the RBS analysis are in a good agreement with the ion energies measured with the use of the IEA. The results are presented and discussed giving a special attention to the potential of the ion implantation method for modifying the chemical and physical properties of the implanted materials. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.