A MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS STUDY ON THE COLLISIONAL AND COOLING PHASES OF CASCADE DAMAGE

Presented at the IEA Workshop on the Use of Molecular Dynamics in Mode lling Radiation Effects and Other Non-equilibrium Phenomena, May 6-8, 1991 at La Jolla, USA. Molecular dynamics calculations were performed to study the cascade damage evolution initiated from a primary knock-o n atom of 250 eV. The thermodynamic characterization of the cascade wa s investigated by the Morse potential and it is found that during the cooling phase of the cascade local equilibrium was realized. Cascade e volution by the simple embedded atom method (EAM) potential was also c alculated and the effects of initial target temperatures on the cascad e processes were discussed.