Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• El-Said, A S
• Heller, R
• Meissl, W
• Ritter, R
• Facsko, S
• Lemell, C
• Solleder, B
• Gebeshuber, I C
• Betz, G
• Toulemonde, M
• Möller, W
• Burgdörfer, J
• Aumayr, F

Titel

Creation of nanohillocks on CaF2 surfaces by single slow highly charged ions

Ist Teil von

• Physical review letters, 2008-06, Vol.100 (23), p.237601-237601

Ort / Verlag

United States: American Physical Society

Erscheinungsjahr

2008

Quelle

American Physical Society Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Upon impact on a solid surface, the potential energy stored in slow highly charged ions is primarily deposited into the electronic system of the target. By decelerating the projectile ions to kinetic energies as low as 150 x q eV, we find first unambiguous experimental evidence that potential energy alone is sufficient to cause permanent nanosized hillocks on the (111) surface of a CaF(2) single crystal. Our investigations reveal a surprisingly sharp and well-defined threshold of potential energy for hillock formation which can be linked to a solid-liquid phase transition.