In order to clarify the limits of high-resolution electron microscopic observations of defects that were due to irradiation damage, a simulation method was developed which combined molecular dynamics and high-resolution electron microscopy simulations. The disorder that was due to ion irradiation in Si and Ag was simulated by using a molecular dynamics technique, and high-resolution electron microscopic images were computed by using a multi-slice dynamic procedure. The conditions which were required in order to achieve good high-resolution electron microscopic visibility of such defective structures were investigated by analyzing the effects of molecular dynamics input parameters as well as the effects of the instrumental parameters of transmission electron microscopic observations. This indicated that the structure of the damaged region was not critical. On the other hand, the fractional disorder was of greatest importance and governed the conditions which led to an appreciable contrast of the disordered region against the crystalline background.

G.Mattei, A.M.Mazzone: Ultramicroscopy, 1995, 58[3-4], 223-31