Ni rods distributed in silicon dioxide matrix formed on silicon wafers have been characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy and X–ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spec troscopy. Ni rods have been obtained by electrochemical deposition of the metal onto a silicon dioxide matrix pores formed with the tracking technique. Latent tracks have been obtained by SiO2 film irradiation with heavy gold ions at the Hahn–Meitner–Institute (Berlin, Germany). Scanning electron microscopy has established the peculiarities of pore filling with metal and the specificity of Ni rod formation and their morphology (surface and cleavages). High intensity synchrotron radiation of the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin has been used in the ultrasoft X–ray range for electron energy structure studies of the Ni rods with the XANES technique. The specific phase composition of the surface layers has been investigated using Si, Ni and O atom local surrounding analysis performed based on synchrotron XANES technique data including the rod/matrix interface. Possible Ni silicide formation has been demonstrated for a certain rod array formation mode in which partial SiO2 matrix destruction occurs and the metal contacts with the silicon wafer. Natural oxidation specificity has also been studied for the Ni rod/SiO2 heterostructure surface.

The interatomic interaction and phase formation at interfaces between the metallic layers Co 45 Fe 45 Zr 10 and nonmetallic interlayers of amorphous silicon or silicon dioxide in multilayered nanostructures (Co 45 Fe 45 Zr 10 / a -Si) 40 and (Co 45 Fe 45 Zr 10 /SiO 2 ) 32 have been investigated using ultrasoft X-ray emission spectroscopy (USXES) and X-ray diffractometry. The multilayered nanostructures have been fabricated by ion-beam sputtering of two targets onto the surface of a rotating glass-ceramic substrate. The investigations have demonstrated that, regardless of the expected composition of the interlayer (amorphous silicon or silicon dioxide), d -metal silicides, predominantly lower cobalt silicides, are formed at the metallic layer/interlayer interface. However, in this case, the thickness of silicide interfaces in the multilayered nanostructures with oxide interlayers (series O ) has a significantly lower value of ∼0.1 nm, and, therefore, the central layer of the interlayers remains oxide. In the multilayered nanostructures with amorphous silicon interlayers almost all silicon is consumed in the formation of nonmagnetic silicide phases. When the thickness of this interlayer exceeds the thickness of the metallic layer, the multilayered nanostructures become nonmagnetic.

The phase composition and optical properties of hydrogenated amorphous films of silicon suboxide (a-SiO x :H) with silicon nanoclusters are studied. Ultrasoft X-ray emission spectroscopy show that silicon- suboxide films with various oxidation states and various amorphous silicon-cluster contents can be grown using dc discharge modulation. In films with an ncl-Si content of ∼50%, the optical-absorption edge is observed, whose extrapolation yields an optical band gap estimate of ∼3.2–3.3 eV. In the visible region, rather intense photoluminescence bands are observed, whose peak positions indicate the formation of silicon nanoclusters 2.5–4.7 nm in size in these films, depending on the film composition.

The results of X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy data obtained with synchrotron radiation for multilayered nanoperiodic Al2O3/SiO x /Al2O3/SiO x /.../Si(100) structures annealed at temperatures of 500–1100°C are reported. The data show that, upon high-temperature annealing (∼1100°C), the structures are modified. The modification is attributed to the formation of Si nanocrystals in deep layers of the structures. At the same time, the structures exhibit size-dependent high-intensity photoluminescence in the photon-energy range 1.4–1.52 eV.

Wire-like SnO 2 micro- and nanocrystals prepared by gas-transport synthesis have been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy with the use of synchrotron radiation. It has been found that the heat treatment in ultrahigh vacuum affects the surface state and the vacancy formation in surface layers of the wire-like crystals.

The films have been deposited on the silicon subtracts with the (111) and (100) orientations by thermal evaporation of SiO powder and carbon implanted with doses of 6 · 1016 to 1,2 · 1017 cm−2 followed by annealing in nitrogen at 1100 oC. Diffraction studies of these structures confirm the occurrence of a preferred orientation in the nanocrystals during high temperature thermal annealing, controlled by the substrate orientation. It was possible to detect the existence of two arrays of silicon nanocrystals in the dielectric matrix, with one having a smaller average size of 5—10 nm and a lattice parameter close to that of crystalline silicon, and the other one having a large size of 50—100 nm and a greater lattice parameter. We have estimated the carbon implantation doses for which the large size nanocrystals (> 50 nm) do not form. This dose is 6 · 1016 cm−2 for the (111) substrates and 9 · 1016 cm−2 for the (100) ones.

Films of Al-Si nanocomposites produced by magnetron evaporation of a complex target onto a silicon substrate have been investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, ultrasoft X-ray emission spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy. It has been found that silicon inclusions are nanocrystals with the mean size of 20–25 nm, with the surface covered by an amorphous silicon layer. The presence of the aluminum matrix in the initial films changes their band structures, in particular, near the bottom of the valence band. After the removal of aluminum, the structure of the valence band becomes identical to that in the bulk material and the structure of the conduction band indicates the presence of a disordered surface layer with a thickness of ∼5 nm.

Substructure and phase composition of silicon suboxide films containing silicon nanocrystals and implanted with carbon have been investigated by means of the X-ray absorption near-edge structure technique with the use of synchrotron radiation. It is shown that formation of silicon nanocrystals in the films' depth (more than 60 nm) and their following transformation into silicon carbide nanocrystals leads to abnormal behaviour of the X-ray absorption spectra in the elementary silicon absorption-edge energy region (100-104 eV) or in the silicon oxide absorption-edge energy region (104-110 eV). This abnormal behaviour is connected to X-ray elastic backscattering on silicon or silicon carbide nanocrystals located in the silicon oxide films depth.

The morphology and PL spectra of self-assembled GeSi/Si(001) nanoislands grown by the hot wire method have been studied for the first time. Nanoisland size and density dependencies on the substrate temperature and the deposited amount of Ge have been found to correspond to those found earlier for the nanoislands grown by MBE. However, the nanoislands tended to coalesce in the whole growth temperature range (500 ÷ 700С). This was related to the presence of GeH4 inside the growth chamber, which enhances the surface diffusion of Ge adatoms and, therefore, promotes the islands coalescence. The PL (77K) spectra show dominant lines related to misfit dislocations in the coalesced islands.