PECULIARITIES AND MECHANISM OF THE CONE GROWTH UNDER ION-BOMBARDMENT

Cones were grown on a copper surface under simultaneous irradiation by both Ar+ ion and seed tungsten atom flows. The cones were photographe d in the SEM after certain irradiation dose at different stages of the ir life cycle. The cones originate as protuberances growing normally t o the surface. They are believed to grow due to ion induced surface st resses on the places where concentration of the implanted seed atoms e xceeded the solution limit and destroyed the crystal structure. During certain period of irradiation the growing cones had stable shape and constant growth rate - ''stable shape stage (SSS)''. The conditions fo r the existence of SSS are presented. The main causes of the cone grow th during SSS are considered to be sputtering and diffusion to the con e top stimulated by ion induced stresses on the cone slopes. Using the suggested approach, specific peculiarities of cone formation are disc ussed.