The Formation of Nanoclusters in Metals by the Low-Energy Ion Irradiation in Glow Discharge Plasma

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to show the results of the experimental studies of the formation of nanoclusters in metals by the low-energy ion irradiation and computer simulation of nonlinear effects on an atomic scale. The subjects of the investigation were polycrystalline armcoiron and instrumental steels. All samples were irradiated by low-energy ions of residual gases in discharge plasma. The fine dislocation structure of the samples was being studied using the transmission electron microscopic method. We showed that the process of low-energy influence led to the formation of a complex multilayer structure in the near-surface area. There were the layers with the amorphous structure, a microcrystalline and nanocrystalline structure. The low-energy ion irradiation led to a change of physical and mechanical properties of the irradiated materials. It is necessary to emphasize that samples behavior depends on the time elapsed after stopping the irradiation. These modifications in materials could be understood within the conception of active self-organizing processes in crystal lattices. We showed by a computer simulation that nonlinear oscillations were excited in the system of coupled atomic oscillators in crystal lattices, which resulted in the formation of nanoclusters.