Surface channelling in grazing-incidence ion bombardment of a stepped surface

Using molecular-dynamics simulation, the impact of a 5 keV Ar atom at 83° incidence angle towards the surface normal onto a stepped Pt(1 1 1) surface is investigated. The projectile impinges with a [1¯1¯2] azimuth on a B step. The channelling of trajectories below the upper terrace is characterized in terms of the distribution of channelling lengths and the energy loss of channelled projectiles. The influence of target temperature is studied by simulating targets at 0 K and at 550 K.