A dynamic negative-ion mixing method using high-current heavy ions and electron beam evaporation

A new filmmaking technique with high-current negative ions and electron beam evaporation has been developed to fabricate optical insulating films, applying both ion-induced dynamic processes and simultaneous formation of insulating substrates. The dynamic negative-ion mixing (DNIM) method, with negative ions at high dose rates, alleviates surface charging on insulators and attains mass introduction of metal atoms. Negative Cu ions of 60 keV irradiated an a-SiO₂ substrate, which simultaneously grew by electron beam evaporation of SiO₂. The dose-rate ranged from 5 to 50 μA/cm² and the deposition rate was maintained constant at 0.2 or 0.4 nm/s and controlled the Cu composition. The DNIM method succeeded in fabricating thick uniform films which were finely dispersed with Nanoparticles. The merit of high flux implantation is spontaneous precipitation of Cu nanoparticles. The nanoparticle-dispersed films showed intense linear and nonlinear optical properties