Embedded nanofibers induced by high-energy ion irradiation of bulk GaSb

New embedded nanofiber layers were formed by irradiating a stationary GaSb sample with 1 Me Au ions at perpendicular incidence to ion fluences of 1×10¹⁴ ions cm^-2 to 6×10¹⁵ ions cm^-2. The results show that increased ion fluence decreases fiber size and the use of heavier implantation ions results in larger fibers. Tests performed with low-energy and high-energy ions result in the formation of web-like surface structures at high ion fluence, showing that these structures are not related to the presence or removal of a surface layer over the fibers. Ga and Sb are found to diffuse at different rates in GaSb, and the vacancy in-diffusion into the GaSb substrate is a possible method by which fibers could continue to form past the projected ion range.