Computer studies of low energy scattering in crystalline and amorphous targets

Abstract The scattering of 1 keV Ar atoms in thin amorphous and monocrystalline Cu targets has been studied, using the computer simulation program MARLOWE. An improved procedure for evaluating groups of nearly simultaneous collisions has been developed. Particle reflection is found to be a near surface effect and shows crystallographic dependence associated mostly with the surface. Transmission of the incident particles shows strong axial channeling effects and smaller effects of planar channels. The importance of surface forces in governing the entry of low energy particles into channels is shown.