Defect formation via the stopping of high-energy ions was investigated by using molecular dynamics simulations. A quantitative model was presented, for the Coulomb explosion process, which was based upon the dielectric approach. It was suggested that it was possible to define track formation in terms of the density of the energy that was deposited during the Coulomb explosion. The most important result of the simulation was the prediction of a very sharp Coulomb explosion threshold for track formation.

S.A.Fedotov, M.Ishimaru, Y.Hiroyama, T.Motooka, A.M.Zaitsev: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 1996, 118[1-4], 724-7