Irradiation-induced defect production in elemental metals and semiconductors: A review of recent molecular dynamics studies

fOver the last ten years, molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulation has been used extensively to study defect production mechanisms in irradiated solids. We review the current status of the field and describe the insights that can be gained regarding the form of the primary damage state induced in elemental metals and semiconductors by irradiation. First we point out the features of MD simulations relevant to radiation effect studies. We then describe how melting and resolidification of the cascade core leads to well-separated vacancy and interstitial profiles in metals. In semiconductors, however, the simulations demonstrate how the resolidification process leads to intracascade amorphization and the form of the primary damage state different from that found in metals. We end by discussing the limitations of the method and indicate where other techniques such as kinetic Monte Carlo modeling will be useful in the future.