Energy dependence of the sputtering yield of silicon bombarded with neon, argon, krypton, and xenon ions

Journal Article · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.332340· OSTI ID:6050716

Zalm, P C

Sputtering yields of Si were determined for bombardment with Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe ions at normal incidence in the energy range 0.2--20 keV under ultrahigh vacuum conditions (<10/sup -7/ Pa). Mass selection was employed and the energy spread was limited to a few electron volts. High fluences in excess of 10/sup 18/ cm/sup -2/ were used to obtain stationary state yields. A special method was adopted for the yield determination, involving accurate current integration and eroded crater volume measurement with a micromechanical stylus. As a spinoff of the adopted technique, relative sputtering yields for Mo could also be determined. Our data agree with the sparse other recent experimental results. Discrepancies with older data sets are sizeable but can be attributed to our improved beam definition and better surface conditions. The measured yields are, even quantitatively, in surprisingly good agreement with predictions from Sigmund's linear cascade theory in the low and intermediate energy range. At higher energy the yields fall off more rapidly than the theory predicts, the deviations increasing with decreasing projectile mass. This behavior cannot be explained entirely in terms of the parameters and assumptions entering the Sigmund model. Various proposed empirical modifications and alternatives for Sigmund's theory are critically examined and a new quite useful simplification of the latter is derived.

• Research Organization: Philips Research Laboratories, P.O.B. 80.000, 5600 JA Eindhoven, The Netherlands
• OSTI ID: 6050716
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 54:5; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640301* -- Atomic
Molecular &amp; Chemical Physics-- Beams &amp; their Reactions
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY DEPENDENCE
ENERGY RANGE
INCIDENCE ANGLE
IONS
IRRADIATION
KEV RANGE
KRYPTON IONS
NEON IONS
SEMIMETALS
SILICON
SPUTTERING
ULTRAHIGH VACUUM
XENON IONS
YIELDS