THE COMPUTER-SIMULATION OF ENERGETIC PARTICLE-SOLID INTERACTIONS

Over the last decade the use of computer simulation in predicting phys ical phenomena associated with ion beam processing of materials has in creased both in use and reliability. This is partly due to the dramati c increase in computer power and decrease in computer cost, but is als o being achieved due to an increased understanding of the physical pro cesses occurring. With the increase in computer power has come not jus t the ability to perform more complex calculations but also the method s for complex data representation in animated form. By animating the r esults it is much easier to observe collective effects such as acousti c wave propagation at a surface due to, for example, molecule impact.