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We propose an ion-beam-mixing model that accounts for compound formation at a boundary between two materials during ion irradiation. It is based on Fick's law together with a chemical driving force in order to simulate the chemical reaction at the boundary. The behavior of the squared thickness of the mixed layer, X, with the irradiation fluence, N, has been found in several mixing experiments to be either quadratic (X aN ) or linear (X aN), a result which is qualitatively reproduced. Depending on the fluence range, compound formation or diffusion is the limiting process of mixing kinetics. A criterion is established in terms of the ratio of the diffusion coefficient D due to irradiation to the chemical reaction rate squared which allows us to predict quadratic or linear behavior. When diffusion is the limiting process, D is enhanced by a factor which accounts for the formation of a compound in the mixed layer.Good agreement is found between the calculated mixing rates and the data taken from mixing experiments in metal/Si bilayers.

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