Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of low-energy recoil events in ThO ₂, CeO ₂, and ZrO ₂

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of low-energy recoil events in ThO ₂, CeO ₂, and ZrO ₂ have been carried out to determine the threshold displacement energies, resulting defect configurations, dynamics of defect generation, and role of charge transfer during the process. The results reveal that, in most cases, these fluorite structure oxides exhibit a similar response to low-energy recoils. A variety of different defect configurations are created, consisting mainly of vacancies and interstitials. Charge transfer occurs during the dynamic displacement process. Local charge redistribution leads to cation and O vacancies being negatively and positively charged, respectively. Likewise, due to charge redistribution, the cation and O interstitials are less positively and negatively charged, respectively, than the ions on lattice sites in perfect MO ₂.