Damage kinetics induced by swift heavy ion impacts onto films of different thicknesses

RA Rymzhanov and N Medvedev and AE Volkov, APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE, 566, 150640 (2021).

DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2021.150640

Response of CaF2 thin films to swift heavy ions irradiation is studied with Monte-Carlo code TREKIS and molecular dynamics simulations. Two factors affecting the damage kinetics in ion tracks in films of different thickness are considered: electron emission and an effect of the layer thickness. It is shown that escape of electrons from the target surface is important in films thinner than 15 nm and can significantly reduce energy deposited into the lattice. Three different modes of damage realize depending on the layer thickness: a through hole forms in the thinnest layers despite energy loss via electron emission, semispherical and spherical hillocks form at intermediate thicknesses, emission of nanoclusters occurs from thick layers.

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