AN INVESTIGATION OF COLLISION PROPAGATION IN ENERGETIC ION INITIATED CASCADES IN COPPER

Using simple Binary Collision simulations of energetic ion initiated c ollision cascades, particles are considered to undergo a series of bin ary collisions with their surroundings. In Molecular Dynamics simulati on it is difficult to even define what is meant by a collision as the interaction potentials are infinite in nature and consequently all par ticles are considered to interact with all other particles. By making a suitable definition of a collision for Molecular Dynamics we are abl e to compare the temporal behaviour of the number of collisions occurr ing during the propagation of a collision cascade between the two diff erent calculation schemes. An investigation is made of the number of c ollisions as a function of time occurring in collision cascades. We co mpare these results to the time ordered version of MARLOWE. By making further definitions about what makes a many body collision, we further investigate the numbers of many body collisions occurring during a nu mber of collision cascades.