Molecular dynamics simulation of ion-beam-amorphization of Si, Ge and GaAs

Abstract We use molecular dynamics simulations to study ion-irradiation-induced amorphization in Si, Ge and GaAs using several different interatomic force models. We find that the coordination number is higher, and the average bond length longer, for the irradiated amorphous structures than for the molten ones in Si and Ge. For amorphous GaAs, we suggest that longer Ga–Ga bonds, also present in pure Ga, are produced during the irradiation. In Si the amorphization is found to proceed via growth of amorphous regions, and low energy recoils are found to induce athermal recrystallization during irradiation.