Simulação por dinâmica molecular de efeitos induzidos pela irradiação iônica de filmes moleculares ultrafinos

Abstract

In this work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out to study the ion-irradiation induced effects on ultrathin molecular films. The energy deposited by the ions is computationally simulated using a simple thermal spike with particles interacting via the Lennard-Jones potential. It was investigated the effect of thin and ultrathin (2 60 nm) films thickness variation in the dimensions of the defects created on the surface crater s diameter (Dc) and depth (Cd) and ridge (rim) volume. Crystalline and amorphous systems were modeled, and different radius and temperature combinations were investigated for the simulated cylindrical track. Qualitative and quantitative results obtained from crystalline and amorphous samples were compared. The analysis of the system s dynamics after the track energy got transferred into atomic motion allowed to identify the mechanisms responsible for the formation of the surface defects. Crater size is mostly determined by evaporation and melt flow from the hot track, while the rim size is determined both by melt flow and coherent displacement of particles due to the large pressure developed in the excited track. We find a large dependence on the dimensions of the surface defects, and in the number of sputtered particles, with the film thickness (h) below a critical value hcrítico. The critical thickness for the rim volume, more sensitive to the confinement of the film, was found to be higher than the hcrítico for Dc, since mechanisms involved in the formation of both effects are different. Also from a critical h on, the sputtering yield got smaller as the film thickness decreased. The sputtered particles depth of origin zorigem was obtained as a function of h. As a result from simulations with amorphous films it was obtained zorigem<h/2. Results from simulations were compared to recent experimental data.