John E Muth

US Patent:

8363775, Jan 29, 2013

Filed:

Nov 26, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/998861

Inventors:

Noel A. Guardala - Columbia MD, US
Ian Patrick Wellenius - Raleigh NC, US
John F. Muth - Cary NC, US

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy - Washington DC

International Classification:

G21G 1/10

US Classification:

376183, 376190

Abstract:

As typically embodied, the inventive method features bombardment of atomic nuclei with He ions in order to effect transmutation of atoms from a first atomic element to a second atomic element. Two notable inventive genres describe transmutation of: oxygen to nitrogen in an oxygen-containing target (e. g. , including ZnO film); and, carbon to boron in a carbon-containing target (e. g. , including SiC film). According to the former, transmutation of O to N occurs; more specifically, transmutation of O to O occurs via nuclear bombardment, and then transmutation of O to N occurs via decay by positron emission. According to the latter, transmutation of C to B occurs; more specifically, transmutation of C to C occurs via nuclear bombardment, and then transmutation of C to B occurs via decay by positron emission. Inventive practice frequently results in significant alteration of at least one physical property among: electronic carrier concentration; resistivity; photoconductivity; luminescence; morphology.