Crystal-glass transition in ion-bombarded alloys

A model for glass formation and crystal structure retainment in binary alloys undergoing irradiation by energetic ion beams is presented. The major physical features provided by experimental conditions, namely spike formation and evolution of bombardment-induced surface compositional variations, are taken into account. At spike-lattice interface interatomic interactions with charge transfer occur, which induce formation of amorphization, or crystallization nuclei. Qualitative differences are found between glass forming and crystalline systems