Progress in Ion Beam Mixing

Ion Beam Mixing is a rapidly progressing scientific field wedding material science and ion physics. Technological applications are presently under exploration even though the phenomenological processes are not fully understood. The present work examines the experimental data which provide an understanding of the underlying processes occuring during ion beam mixing. Experimental results of ion beam mixing of thin evaporated Sn layers in mixed Ge/Si solid solutions are reported. Tentative conclusions are drawn as to the likely directions for fruitful avenues of investigation.