Evidence for spike-effects in low energy ar ion bombardment of Si at room temperature

Abstract
Measurements of the damage produced by 3-30 keV Ar+ room temperature irradiations of Si have been carried out. The results show a significant deviation between the measured disorder and that predicted by linear cascade binary collision theory. Comparison with a recently suggested semi-empirical model based upon a separation of the damage into a “spike” component and a “collisional” component provides strong evidence for the existence of spike phenomena at energies as low as 3 keV.