Thin Solid Films, Vol.340, No.1-2, 201-204, 1999
Ion irradiation hardening of C-60 thin films
The nanoindentation technique is used to measure the hardness and the Young's modulus of ion irradiated C-60 films, 70 nm thick, deposited on a Silicon substrate. An increase of hardness from 1.3 GPa for the pristine sample to 10 GPa after irradiation with 800 keV Bi+ and N2+ ions was observed. The Young's modulus also increases from 60-150 GPa after the irradiation. The results are discussed in terms of the damage and amorphization produced as consequences of the electronic and nuclear energy transference due to the irradiation.