Computer Analysis of the Field Ion Images of Platinum Irradiated with Ar+ (E = 30 keV) Ions

Abstract

The work presents the field ion microscopy images of the surface atomic layers of irradiated platinum (layer-by-layer from 1st to 5th and more distant). A specially developed algorithm and software were used for image analysis to study the effect of Ar+ ions (E = 30 keV) on the subsurface atomic structure of pure platinum. The coordinates of atoms, the brightness of their images, and their sizes were determined. The curves of the distribution of the brightness and atomic radii were built. It is shown that the width of the distributions significantly decreases when moving from the damaged surface deep into the platinum bulk, whereas the number of atoms in the field ion microscopy images increases. Field ion microscopy images with only those atoms whose brightness (or radius) is in certain range were synthesized (these atoms can be highlighted in the ionic field microscopy images). It has been established that damaged zones include the images of atoms with both abnormally low and abnormally high radii. The principal possibility of reconstruction of the 3D-picture of the irradiated metal at a temperature of liquid nitrogen (T ∼ 77 K) is shown.