Collision Cascade in a Silicon-Based Device under Energetic Ar Ions Irradiation

Silicon, as the basic material of biochips and electronic devices, is often exposed to irradiation environments, and its radiation resistance has attracted much attention in recent decades. We calculated collision cascade in a silicon-based device under energetic Ar ions irradiation by using Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations. The difference in vacancy probability density under different energetic incident ion irradiation is caused by the penetrating power and the straggling power of incident ions. The kinetic energy of an incident ion determines the size of local collision cascade density; a high energy incident ion can induce greater local collision cascade density. The efficiency of transferring energy from incident ions to target electrons at the silicon surface is more than in silicon, and the recoil atoms dissipate most of their energy at the lattice sites where they are stopping. These results provide more insight into the radiation resistance of silicon-based devices.