Abstract
Abstract Transmission electron microscopy has been used to study the formation of surface craters by Bi+ and Bi2 + bombardment of Au in the energy range 10–500 keV. Craters ∼5 nm in diameter were observed in individual displacement cascades of energy 50 keV. The observed energy and energy—density dependence of crater yields, sizes and fine structure indicate that the craters were formed in extra-high-energy—density surface spikes which occur with a low (∼10−2) but finite probability due to fluctuations in energy deposition in individual cascades. In light of the present experimental evidence, we propose a modified ‘thermal-spike’ model for the explanation of the quite large deviations from linear cascade theory that have been observed by conventional self-ion and molecular-ion sputtering-yield measurements in heavy metals.
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