Heating of metals in swift heavy ion tracks by electron-ion energy exchange

Abstract

The rate of the heat transfer from the excited electrons to the ion lattice in swift heavy ion tracks in metals considerably deviates from the predictions of the electron-phonon coupling model. Due to the short times of the electron gas cooling down this rate is insensitive to a particular atomic structure of irradiated metals. For the initial temperature of the excited electrons in the track as high as ∼ 100 eV the local lattice temperature increase below 1000 K is predicted, which is insufficient to melt the majority of metals. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.