Effect of interaction of atomic electrons on ionization of an insulator in swift heavy ion tracks

Effects of applications of two different models of atomic ionizations in MC simulations describing excitation of the electronic subsystem of an insulator in tracks of swift heavy ions decelerated in the electronic stopping regime are investigated. The first mechanism is based on binary collisions of a fast projectile with atomic electrons considered as independent. The second one assumes redistribution of the energy transferred to an atom from an ion between the atomic electrons before autoionization of the excited atom. It is demonstrated that an appreciable difference occurs only in the kinetics of the most energetic electrons appeared during the ionization. This difference affects only a small fraction of the excess electronic energy in the far periphery of a track. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.