Atomic layer growth on Al(111) by ion bombardment

Instead of the expected erosion morphology composed of craters, rare gas io n bombardment of the, Al(111) surface is found to cause initial surface gro wth of several atomic layers. This phenomenon is observed for Ne+, Ar+. and Xe+ at all temperatures at which bombardment induces morphological surface changes and for ion energies down to a few hundred eV. Thr effect is inter preted on the basis of a thermal spike induced separation of damage into su bsurface vacancy clusters and surface allatum clusters.