The damage layer of a W (100) crystal irradiated with 120 eV hydrogen ions at a fluence of up to 1.5 × 1025/m2 was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM). The periodic surface degeneration of the W crystal at a surface temperature of 373 K was formed at increasing hydrogen fluence. Observations by CCD camera and CAFM indicate the existence of ultrathin surface layers due to low-energy H irradiation. The W surface layer can contain a high density of nanometer-sized defects, resulting in the thermal instability of W atoms in the surface layer. Our findings suggest that the periodic surface degeneration of the W crystal can be ascribed to the lateral erosion of W surface layers falling off during the low-energy hydrogen irradiation. Our density functional theory calculations confirm the thermal instability of W atoms in the top layer, especially if H atoms are adsorbed on the surface.
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