Statistical characterization of surface defects created by Ar ion bombardment of crystalline silicon

Ion bombardment of crystalline silicon targets induces pattern formation by the creation of mobile surface species that participate in forming nanometer-scale structures. The formation of these mobile species on a Si 001 surface, caused by sub-keV argon ion bombardment, is investigated through molecular dynamics simulation of Stillinger-Weber Phys. Rev. B 31, 5262 1985 silicon. Specific criteria for identifying and classifying these mobile atoms based on their energy and coordination number are developed. The mobile species are categorized based on these criteria and their average concentrations are calculated. © 2008 American Institute of Physics. DOI: 10.1063/1.2974102