Amorphous iron formation due to low energy heavy ion implantation in evaporated 57Fe thin films

Thin films prepared by vacuum evaporation of 57Fe and subsequent low energy ion implantation were investigated by conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy and AFM measurements. A sextet with Mossbauer parameters of δ = 0.1 mm/s and B = 26 T appearing in the CEM spectra was identified as amorphous iron. Passivation and phosphonation of the thin films revealed the high affinity of amorphous iron in chemical reactions.