Simulation of two-dimensional images for ion-irradiation induced change in lattice structures and magnetic states in oxides by using monte carlo method

Abstract

A Monte Carlo method was used to simulate the two-dimensional images of ion-irradiation-induced change in lattice structures and magnetic states in oxides. Under the assumption that the lattice structures and the magnetic states are modified only inside the narrow one-dimensional region along the ion beam path (the ion track), and that such modifications are affected by ion track overlapping, the exposure of oxide targets to spatially random ion impacts was simulated by the Monte Carlo method. Through the Monte Carlo method, the evolutions of the two-dimensional images for the amorphization of TiO2, the lattice structure transformation of ZrO2, and the transition of magnetic states of CeO2 were simulated as a function of ion fluence. The total fractions of the modified areas were calculated from the two-dimensional images. They agree well with the experimental results and those estimated by using the Poisson distribution functions.