Atomic and cluster ion bombardment in the electronic stopping power regime: A thermal spike description

Abstract

A brief review of experimental results of defect creation in metallic materials supports the assumption that the electron-phonon coupling is the main physical parameter which determines their sensitivity against the irradiation in the electronic stopping power ( dE dx ) regime. Following this idea the thermal spike model is developed using a numerical solution of two coupled equations describing the energy diffusion on the electrons and on the lattice atoms respectively and their coupling. Assuming that the experimental observations may be interpreted by a rapid quench of the induced molten phase, radii of latent tracks in Ti and Zr irradiated by atomic and cluster ions will be calculated and compared to experimental results with quite a good agreement.