Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of collision cascades were studied in o
rder to understand the effect of energy, temperature and direction of the p
rimary knock-on atom (PKA) on the defect production in single crystal silic
on for low-energy collision events. MD simulations were performed with ion
energies ranging from 100 eV to 1 keV where the PKA was directed along the
three major crystallographic directions at 0, 300 and 600 K. Collision casc
ades resulting from PKA energies above 100 eV appeared to undergo a solid-
to liquid-like transformation at the height of the cascade event. Upon cool
ing, the liquid-like regions collapse resulting in the formation of numerou
s isolated defects and clusters of defects. We found that bulb and near-sur
face collision events followed the modified Kinchin-Pease model for defect
production in silicon for the energies studied. Minimal temperature depende
nce was found for collision events that occurred in the bulk of the silicon
crystal within the first 10 ps of the simulation.