Radiation damage induced at the surface of titanium by argon ions of a few MeV

► Role of electronic excitations and nuclear collisions in corrosion under irradiation. ► Thermal oxidation of titanium under Argon irradiation in the MeV range is studied. ► Ti cratering is observed by AFM following 2, 4 and 9 MeV Ar irradiation. ► Ti roughening and oxyde thickening under 2 MeV Ar using Spectroscopic Ellipsometry. ► It is assumed that nuclear collisions contribute significantly to the overall surface damage.