Comparison of two thermal spike models for ion–solid interaction

A comparative review of the inelastic thermal spike model (ITSM, Meftah et al., 1994) and the analytical thermal spike model (ATSM Szenes, 1995) is given. The ITSM follows the formation of the ion-induced thermal spike based on the Fourier equation while the ATSM skips this stage and a final Gaussian temperature distribution is assumed. Each of the two models doubts the basic assumptions of the other. The ITSM rejects the Gaussian temperature distribution while according to ATSM several thermophysical parameters used by the ITSM are irrelevant to the formation of the thermal spike and the equilibrium values are not valid under spike conditions. The essentially different conclusions of the models are discussed in connection with experiments performed in BaFe12O19, Al2O3, silica and high-Tc superconductors.