Ion-beam-induced phase separation in GeOx thin films

Irradiation of thin films of sub stoichiometric germanium oxide (GeOx) has been carried out using swift heavy ions. Micro-Raman studies of the films indicate the formation of Ge crystallites as a result of irradiation. Moreover, crystallinity of Ge improves with an increase in fluence. Glancing angle x-ray diffraction results also confirm the presence of Ge crystallites in the irradiated samples. Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy was employed to study the Ge-O-Ge vibrational structure before and after irradiation. Formation of Ge crystallites has been explained on the basis of the phenomenon of ion-beam-induced phase separation.