Interaction of highly charged ions with surfaces

Highly charged ions (HCI) release a large amount of potential energy during their neutralization when interacting with solid surfaces. This energy is mostly retained in the solid leading to local phase transformations on a nanometer scale. The study of modifications on surfaces and thin foils as a function of potential and kinetic energy gives insight into the interaction of HCIs with surfaces as well as into phase transformations under these non-equilibrium conditions.