Long-range effect and self-organization processes induced by low-energy ion irradiation in solids

Abstract

The modification of materials subjected to the bombardment with low-energy ions was investigated. The increase of dislocation density in metal samples was observed up to a depth of 10 mm from the irradiated surface. It is described as a "long-range effect". The low-energy ion irradiation leads to the change of physical and mechanical properties of irradiated materials. This is, actually, a bulk modification. To explain this modification of materials the authors suggest a hypothesis based on the idea of nonlinear oscillation excitations in crystals, which leads to active self-organizing processes in the ion subsystem.