Neutralization energy contribution to the nanostructure creation by the impact of highly charged ions at arbitrary angle of incidence upon a metal surface covered with a thin dielectric film

Abstract

We consider the cascade neutralization of highly charged ions in the interaction with metal-dielectric film surface at moderate ionic velocities and arbitrary angle of incidence. We use the recently developed micro-staircase model based on the quasi-resonant two-state vector model to obtain the final ionic charge in front of the metal surface and calculate the corresponding neutralization energy. Within the framework of the model, the electrons are captured from the metal into the particular ionic Rydberg states inside the dielectric.We discuss the interplay of the collision geometry and surface parameters in the neutralization process for the ArZ+, KrZ+ and XeZ+ ions. It is demonstrated that the equal neutralization energies can be achieved for different combinations of the angles of incidence and dielectric constants of the film. From the equi-neutralization curves we examine the film properties for the particular collision geometry, for which the neutralization energy (together with the deposited kinetic energy) is sufficient for the formation of the surface nanostructure (crater) of a given size. The corresponding threshold values of the dielectric constants are recognized.