Cylindrical nanopores in NiO induced by swift heavy ions -: art. no. 173110

NiO single crystals and polycrystalline films of about 100 nm thickness have been irradiated at liquid-nitrogen temperature with 90 MeV Ar, 140 MeV Kr, 230 MeV Xe, and 350 MeV Au ions. After bombardment with Xe or Au ions, transmission electron microscopy and small angle x-ray scattering reveal empty ion tracks with diameters between 2 and 4 nm. These nanopores extend through the specimens and are terminated by spherical nanoparticles containing the material which is missing in the pores. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.