Modeling the Effect of Co-Ion Implantation on ZnO, Mg-Doped ZnO Thin Films Using Monte Carlo SRIM
Abstract
The interaction behavior of 1.25 MeV Co ions with Si, ZnO, and Mg-doped ZnO (ZnO:Mg) targets has been systematically analyzed using the latest SRIM 2013 simulations. The findings show that atomic displacements, the production of vacancies and energy loss are greatly influenced by the composition and structural density of the target. The results reveal that the highest defect concentration is seen in crystalline Si due to its lower displacement threshold energy and smaller atomic mass, which increases the likelihood of recoil collisions. On the other hand, ZnO shows moderate defect generation as its high atomic density and bonding energy make it harder for the lattice to be disordered. Moreover, the presence of Mg in the ZnO matrix reduces the overall damage slightly, meaning the lattice is more stable and tolerant to radiation. It can be inferred from these results that Mg doping does indeed improve the structural robustness of ZnO against high-energy Co-ion bombardment and thus makes ZnO:Mg films more appropriate for radiation-resistant optoelectronic and sensing applications.