Temporally resolved track creation in dielectrics after swift heavy ion irradiation. Part I: Monte-Carlo simulation

The dynamics of structural modifications of dielectrics irradiated with swift heavy ions (SHI, with energies E>1 MeV/u and masses M>20 proton mass) are investigated theoretically. We developed a combination of Monte-Carlo method (MC), used to describe SHI penetration and following excitation and relaxation of the electronic subsystem, with Two Temperature Model (TTM) describing the heating of the lattice. In part I of this report we describe the MC method and its main results: the thermalization time of electrons in track, the distribution of energies of electrons, holes, and lattice. That gives a physical background, limits of validity, initial conditions and parameters necessary for the subsequent TTM calculations, presented in the part II.