Ion Implantation in Silver Bromide

Abstract

We have implanted thin layers of silver bromide microcrystals with 10¹¹ to 10¹⁴ silver, xenon, phosphorus, and cadmium ions per cm², at energies from 30 to 225 keV, and used the intrinsic photosensitivity of the crystals to determine the effects of the implantation. Because of the unique properties of AgBr, which allow latent image formation by light and amplification of the image by chemical development, the effects of impurity ions on photocarrier trapping can be detected readily. Prior to implantation the microcrystals formed latent image only on the surface upon exposure to light. The spontaneous developability caused by ion bonibardment was removed by a bromination process. After implantation, bromination, and light exposure, the AgBr microcrystals showed reduced surface sensitivity and significant internal latent image for all of the ions studied. Evidently the implantation-induced defects controlled the photocarrier trapping. Proper annealing conditions for the elimination of the radiation damage caused by the high-energy ions were foxmd from the silver-implanted samples. After annealing, both cadmiuam and phosphorus controlled the photoelectron trapping and increased the internal photosensitivity of the microcrystals.