Fractal pattern growth of metal atom clusters in ion implanted polymers

The fractal and multi-fractal patterns of metal atoms are observed in the surface layer and cross section of a metal ion implanted polymer using TEM and SEM for the first time. The surface structure in the metal ion implanted polyethylene terephthalane (PET) is the random fractal. Certain average quantities of the random geometric patterns contain self-similarity. Some growth origins appeared in the fractal pattern which has a dimension of 1.67. The network structure of the fractal patterns is formed in cross section, having a fractal dimension of 1.87. So it can be seen that the fractal pattern is three-dimensional space fractal. We also find the collision cascade fractal in the cross section of implanted nylon, which is similar to the collision cascade pattern in transverse view calculated by the TRIM computer program. Finally, the mechanism for the formation and growth of the fractal patterns during ion implantation is discussed.