Computer Simulation of Energetic Cluster Impacts on Solid Surfaces

Abstract

Molecular Dynamics computer simulation is used to demonstrate the behaviour of surfaces upon impact by energetic molecules. At low energies and glancing angles the fullerene molecules can be made to scatter from the surface intact. The coupling of the deposited energy into the surface vibrational modes, particularly for layered materials like HOPG graphite, can lead to what appears to be anomalous behaviour. This is explored and compared with experimental results.Not all fullerene molecules are spherical. The C76 fullerene is elliptical in shape. Computer simulations are used to investigate the effects of shape on the scattering of molecules from a graphite surface.Molecular species have been used in ion implantation for doping shallow layers in silicon. There are two contradictory things that can happen when a cluster or molecule is implanted. The molecule will damage the crystal structure with each impact and in so doing could prevent the channelling of the implanted ions, thereby reducing the over‐all ...