Several lessons are available to help students learn how to use SRIM. Each lessons is designed to take about 45 minutes. For background details, see the SRIM Textbook.
We would like to hear from any Instructors who use SRIM in university courses and have built similar modules. We especially need modules written in languages other than English. If you have anything that might be useful, please mail a copy to the author with an explanation of what level of students can use it.
The following lessons are 45 minutes in length, and used for Engineering undergraduates.
Click on the Tutorial Name to download the PDF file (right-click to save it).
#1 - Ion Ranges - This tutorial discusses how to find the ion type and energy to implant an n-well in a CMOS circuit. No knowledge of electronics is required, it is just an example. The student uses the Stopping and Range Tables to find the correct ion energy. The student then sets up TRIM to calculate the full profile and to estimate the damage produces. The final step is to determine if an amorphous layer has been produced in the target..
#2 - Mixing and Sputtering - This tutorial discusses how to analyze interface mixing and cross-contamination between layers. Then it discusses target sputtering, and the limitations on calculating this factor using only theoretical calculations. In particular, the effects of surface roughening and surface damage are discussed.
#3 - Building Layered Targets - This tutorial shows the student how to construct a Gas Proportional Detector target for an ion beam. This is a mixed solid/gas target, and the student learns how to adjust widths during the TRIM calculation so that immediate feed-back allows quick determination of the correct detector dimensions. A final segment of the lesson describes special options available in TRIM to made more advanced calculations.
#4 - Damage - This tutorial describes how ions damage crystalline material, creating displacements, vacancies, interstitials and replacement collisions. Each of these is clearly defined, along with a discussion of typical associated energies. Finally, a discussion is made of energy loss to the target electrons (electronic losses) and to the target nuclei (phonons).
The above are all Acrobat pdf files. The same documents are available as Word files for translation to other languages (contact Ziegler@SRIM.org).
SRIM Module - A special independent executable program called SRIM Module.exe, is included with SRIM. This is a program which can be used as a subroutine for other applications which require ion stopping powers or ranges. This document describes what it does and how to incorporate it into other applications.
Range Statistics - The various statistical concepts of Range, Straggling, Kurtosis, etc. are mathematically defined, with comments on their meaning.
Stopping in Compounds - SRIM can make significant corrections to the stopping of ions in compounds, based on the chemical binding of the material. The history of the theory of ion stopping in compounds is reviewed. Then the SRIM approach is discussed in detail, with explicit tables showing how the values are determined. Finally, plots are included to show the difference between using Bragg's Rule (additivity of stopping powers) compared to the suggested corrections.
Ions starting with varying Energies, Angles and Depths - TRIM can be used to calculate complex ion target interactions, such as starting the ion at some depth into the target with varying energies and angles. These types of calculation are used, for example, for (a) Simulating Reactor Radiation Damage from alpha particles, (b) Calculating Plasma Ions hitting a solid with various energies and trajectories, (c) Simulating a receding surface from sputtering. All of these can be done by creating a special file which starts each ion in any location, with varying energies and trajectories.
Calculating radiation damage from Neutrons/Electrons/Photons - TRIM can be used to calculate the damage to targets from neutrons, electrons or photons. You must use software which generates a listing of recoils from these particles, and this table can be fed into TRIM to generate the recoil cascades from each of these events.
Making Targets with Enriched Isotopic Masses - TRIM can be made to consider targets made with unusual isotopic abundances of elements. This short note indicates how this can be done.
Designing "Degrader Blocks" to Lower Ion Beam Energy - With high energy beams, especially for protons, it is sometimes convenient to insert blocks of material to lower the beam energy, since this can be done quicker than re-tuning the accelerator. SRIM can be used to accurately obtain the required dimensions to lower an incident beam to a lower energy.
