Point defect migration induced by sub-threshold focused collisions

Abstract
Using computer simulation by the molecular dynamics technique, we have shown the persistence of the phenomenon of focused atomic collisions in a large range of temperature up to 0–3 Tm in copper. On the other hand, we have investigated different processes by which the sub-threshold collisions can induce a vacancy migration. A quantitative model relating the induced vacancy migration to the flux density, direction and energy of incident particles has been developed. For example in an electron irradiation, it is found that the induced vacancy jump frequency depends notably on the incident direction and exhibits a maximum value in the range of electron energy between 60 and 100keV.