ON THE DIFFERENCE IN DAMAGE DISTRIBUTIONS OF N+ SINGLE-ION AND N-2(+) MOLECULAR ION IRRADIATION OF SILICON AT HIGH-DOSES

The collisional damage profiles of high dose 0.7 MeV N+ and 1.3 MeV N-2(+) ions in Si crystals, as determined by RBS/channeling, have been compared with each other. The damage produced by molecular ions extends over a broader regime than the one stemming from single-atomic ions; The difference in width of the damage distributions amounts to as much as 30%. This is much more than the 6% difference reported earlier for ranges of single-atomic and molecular nitrogen ions in matter. [1] It supports recent findings of enhanced damage of carbon cluster ions in polymeric matter [2] and on 3D-damage distributions of N-2(+) ions in Si. [3].