Surface smoothing with energetic cluster beams

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1997

Abstract

Impacts of energetic clusters, consisting of hundreds or thousands of atoms on a solid surface, have some remarkable effects, one of which is surface smoothing. To understand its mechanism, we have examined the results of molecular dynamics (MDs) simulations of cluster collisions with a solid which revealed that cluster impacts form craters on the surface and that ejected atoms have a significant lateral momentum component (parallel to the surface). It is postulated that these energetic atoms which are not in thermal equilibrium with the surface are responsible for rapid surface diffusion and consequently the surface smoothing. A new model of surface smoothing by energetic clusters has been developed. The model is based on nonlinear dynamics of a surface profile described by the noisy Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation. A Monte Carlo procedure is used for simulating cluster impacts by distributing on a surface craters whose volume is defined by MDs simulations. The results of calculations show a qualitative agreement with experimental data on smoothing of Cu surface with 20 kV Ar clusters of 1000 atoms. © 1997 American Vacuum Society.

Identifier

0001497736 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology A Vacuum Surfaces and Films

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1116/1.580791

ISSN

07342101

First Page

981

Last Page

984

Issue

3

Volume

15

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