Nanoscale phase transitions induced by heat spikes in collision cascades

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Abstract
We present molecular dynamics computer simulations of heat spikes similar to those appearing in high energy collision cascades. We determine characteristics of the thermal transport and, by changing the energy density and the initial temperature of the substratum, we study the solid-to-liquid transition of the core of the spike. The change in volume associated with this transition generates a narrow density wave that drives the material to strains above the theoretical shear strength of a perfect crystal, becoming in this way a new possible mechanism of collective generation of dislocation loops.