Elemental composition and electric properties of polycrystalline alumina ceramic after metal ion beam treatment

The results of investigations of elemental composition and electric surface resistance of alumina insulators after the high-energy metal ion implantation are presented. Energy dispersive X-ray, RBS and SIMS analysis were used to determine composition of elements and their distribution in the surface of the implanted ceramics. Measurement of the sheet resistance was performed from analysis of volt-ampere characteristics by measuring the leakage current at a voltage from 100 V to several kilovolts, which was applied at the small space of the implanted surface. We show that the of ceramic surface resistivity depends on the metal ion species used for the implantation, and decreases with increasing metal ion implantation dose, decreasing by 3-4 orders of magnitude from 10¹² Ohm/sq. As result of these investigations we can conclude that the weak surface conductivity of alumina provided by electron transportation inside of very thin surface layer (about 100 nanometers) which includes implanted metal species [1].