Molecular dynamics simulation of low-energy bombardment of Pt (1 1 1) surface by Cu atoms with various incident angles

The low-energy bombardment of Pt (1 1 1) surface by Cu atoms with various incident angles (θ) is studied with MD simulations. In the case of near-normal incidence (θ≤20°), the result of energy deposition is similar to that of θ=0°. In contrast, in the case wherein the incident angles are higher than 60°, the incident atom cannot penetrate through the first layer and is scattered directly on the surface. The low-energy deposition has no obvious effect on the substrate. For 20°≤θ≤60°, the oblique incidence contributes to uniformity of nucleation and layer-by-layer growth of film as well as the layer-by-layer removal of atoms in the surface layers. Based on our MD simulations, the mechanism behind the deposition and thin film formation is related to the horizontal component and the vertical component of the impact momentum.