Molecular-Dynamics Simulation of the Interaction Processes of Pulsed Ion Beams with Metals

The molecular-dynamics method is used to model the interaction processes of pulsed ion beams with metal targets. The main parameters of a pulsed ion beam interacting with a target are the ion energy, pulse duration, and charge density per unit area of the target. Using averaged values of these parameters of ion beams published for various types of accelerators, a numerical study of the dependence of the dynamics of thermal and structural processes in irradiated targets upon a change in the size and heterogeneity of the structure is performed. Simulation of the irradiation processes and estimates of the distribution of beam ions in the volume are carried out in the range of beam ion energies of 1-2 keV using the concept of a shock wave. The results are important for developing the model of a pulsed ion beam and classifying the types of structural changes in the irradiated material depending on the model parameters.