STM and AFM observations of damage produced by swift Ne and Kr ions in graphite

Radiation damage of highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG) samples have been investigated following irradiation with 215 MeV Ne and 209 MeV Kr ions, available at U-400 cyclotron, Dubna. A freshly cleaved HOPG surface was irradiated perpendicularly to the sample surface (c plane). A low ion irradiation dose was used (10¹² ions/cm²) in order to avoid damage overlap. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are useful methods allowing direct observation of surface defects. The observations were made after irradiation without any further sample preparation. The experimental results are compared to computer simulations (TRIM code) and primary knonked-on atomic spectrum calculations (LET code). Clear distinction can be made between surface features attributed to nuclear stopping effects and defects owing to electronic stopping mechanisms.