The dimer sputtering mechanism of Cu(001) at low bombarding energy

The emission of dimers during bombardment of a Cu(001) surface by Cu atoms of 300 and 1000eV energy is studied. A molecular dynamics simulation method based on many-body potentials is employed. At 300eV bombarding energy, around 81% of the sputtered dimers originate from second-nearest neighbor sites. 58% of these are ejected in a collision sequence correlated by the projectile. These dimers lead to a second maximum in the kinetic energy distribution of emitted dimers at around 8eV, besides a maximum at 4eV. Only the latter is found at 1000eV bombarding energy. As in this case mostly next-neighbor surface atoms are sputtered, the specific emission mechanism found at 300eV is irrelevant. Finally, we show that the direction of the angular momentum of sputtered dimers is correlated with the original surface site of the dimers.     

Angular distributions of sputtered atoms for low-energy nitrogen irradiation of silicon

We studied the angular distributions of silicon and nitrogen atoms emitted from a Si target subjected to reactive sputtering by N ₂ ⁺ ions at primary energies of 0.5 and 2keV. The composition of the deposited material does not depend strongly on the substrate position. From a comparison with nonreactive sputtering, we show that the observed shift of the Si angular distribution is mainly due to the contribution of collision events occurring in the first monolayer. Contrary to the case of noble gas ions, the sharpness of the Si distribution depends on the N ₂ ⁺ energy. The behavior of the differential sputtering yield of silicon indicates that this effect is likely to be due to a loss of recoil atoms out of the preferential direction. A possible explanation of the observed phenomena consists in assuming an anisotropic emission of Si _x N _y radicals. This hypothesis is very attractive as it could satisfactorily explain the similarity we observed between the angular distributions of silicon and nitrogen.     

Effects of W and Mo crystalline texture on the angular distribution of sputtered atoms

The effects of W and Mo surface crystalline texture on the angular distribution of sputtered atoms were investigated experimentally and by computer simulation. A small-sized planar DC magnetron was used to sputter the target by 200–300 eV Ar⁺ ions. The crystalline texture was formed under rolling of metal foils and during the preparation of metal bars and was controlled by X-ray diffraction analysis. For W and Mo foils, a strong anisotropy of the angular distribution was found. The character of angular distribution was different in the planes oriented perpendicularly and in parallel to the direction of rolling. In the first case, the angular distribution was peaked at the polar angle θ=0, while in the second case, the angular distribution, in addition to a maximum at θ=0, revealed a pronounced maximum at θ≈ 57° and ≈60° for Mo and W, respectively. For bars, no azimuthal anisotropy was observed, but the angular distribution was peaked at θ=37° (Mo) and θ=45° (W). This is in contrast to the case of non-textured Mo and W polycrystals, for which the angular distribution had a maximum at θ=0. Computer simulation technique in combination with the results of X-ray analysis was used to clarify the above experimental findings. It was demonstrated that the angular distribution of sputtered atoms can be successfully used for the determination of the crystalline texture of metals.     

Dynamics of femtosecond laser-produced plasma ions

We investigated the ion laser-produced plasma plume generated during ultrafast laser ablation of copper and silicon targets in high vacuum. The ablation plasma was induced by ≈50 fs, 800 nm Ti:Sa laser pulses irradiating the target surface at an angle of 45°. An ion probe was used to investigate the time-of-flight profiles of the emitted ions in a laser fluence range from the ablation threshold up to ≈10 J/cm². The angular distribution of the ion flux and average velocity of the produced ions were studied by moving the ion probe on a circle around the ablation spot. The angular distribution of the ion flux is well described by an adiabatic and isentropic model of expansion of a plume produced by laser ablation of solid targets. The angular distribution of the ion flux narrows as the laser pulse fluence increases. Moreover, the ion average velocity reaches values of several tens of km/s, evidencing the presence of ions with kinetic energy of several hundred eV. Finally, the ion flux energy is confined in a narrow angular region around the target normal.     

Probability of ionization of sputtered particles as a function of their energy: Part I: Negative Si ions

In this study we have investigated how the probability of ionization of sputtered Si atoms to form negative ions depends on the energy of the atoms. We have determined the ionization probability from experimental SIMS energy distributions using a special experimental technique, which included de-convolution of the energy distribution with an instrumental transmission function, found by separate measurements.We found that the ionization probability increases as a power law ∼E^0.677 for particles sputtered with energies of 0-10 eV, then becomes a constant value (within the limits of experimental error) for particles sputtered with energies of 30-100 eV. The energy distributions of Si⁻ ions, measured under argon and cesium ion sputtering, confirmed this radical difference between the yields from low and high-energy ions.To explain these results we have considered ionization mechanisms that are different for the low energy atoms (<10 eV) and for the atoms emitted with higher energy (>30 eV).     

Momenta of the particles emitted by a target heavily irradiated with low-energy ions

The total momenta of the particles emitted by a target intensely sputtered with heavy noble-gas ions with an energy of E ₀≈0.5 keV are measured. For liquid Ga targets and Ga targets at the premelting temperature, the measured momenta are close to the expected values for the sputtered metal atoms and reflected ions, whereas for Cu and Zr targets, the measured momenta are significantly higher. It is assumed that these excessive momenta are related to the sputtering of the noble gas atoms implanted into the target. The average energy of these atoms is estimated as 〈E〉≈20 eV. When gallium is irradiated, the implanted atoms diffuse predominantly to the surface and then are desorbed.     

Secondary ion emission from Si under nitrogen ion bombardment

The yield and energy distribution of positive secondary ions emitted from Si under N₂⁺ ion bombardment were measured. The obtained mass peaks correspond to three types of secondary ion species, that is, physically sputtered ions (Si⁺, Si₂⁺), chemically sputtered ions (SiN⁺ Si₂N⁺) and doubly charged ions (Si²⁺). The dependence of secondary ion emission on the primary ion energy was studied in a range of 2.0–20.0 keV. The yields of physically and chemically sputtered ions were almost independent of the primary ion energy. The yield of the doubly charged ion strongly depended on the primary ion energy. The energy distribution of secondary ions of the three types showed the same dependence on the primary ion energy. The most probable energy of the distribution increased with the primary ion energy. On the other hand, for the energy distribution curves of sputtered ions, the tail factors N in E^?N were constant and showed a m/e dependence.     

Light Emission and Scanning Electron Microscopic Characterization of Porous Silicon

Optical emission resulting from sputtered species during ion bombardment of porous and oxidized porous silicon targets has been studied. Samples were bombarded with 5‐keV Kr⁺ ions at an incidence angle of 70 degrees, and the light emitted was analyzed over the wavelength range 200–300 nm. The surface morphology was investigated, and the micrographs revealed grooves parallel to the plane of incidence when the porosity was surprisingly observed in the grooves under each pore. The results are discussed as a function of the incidence angle and the porosity of the silicon targets.     

On the mechanism of cluster emission in sputtering

The intensity and the energy distribution of Si⁺_n cluster ions emitted from clean silicon have been measured for different target orientations as a function of the primary ion energy (3–30 keV) and the projectile mass (noble gas ion bombardment). The results favour the idea that clusters are emitted as such rather than being produced by vacuum recombination of individually emitted atoms and ions.     

On the velocity distribution of excited Fe-atoms by sputtering of iron

From the velocity distribution of excited sputtered particles detailed information on the excitation process can be obtained. In the present paper the first direct measurement of velocity distribution of excited atoms sputtered from a metal target is presented. The irradiation of the Fe-target was performed with 10keV Ar⁺-ions. The sputtered atoms were detected using pulsed laser induced fluorescence (LIF). The sputtered Fe atoms in the metastable statea ⁵ F ₅ at 0.86 eV shows a much broader distribution, than found for the ground-state atoms, but no energy threshold, implied in the statistical excitation models, was found.     

Molecular dynamics study of sputtering of Cu (111) under Ar ion bombardment

Abstract

We have used the molecular dynamics (MD) technique using many-body interaction potentials to analyse in detail the processes leading to sputter emission, in order to gain a microscopic understanding of low energy bombardment phenomena. Calculations were performed for a Cu (111) single crystal surface bombarded with Ar atoms in the energy range from 10–1000 eV. The results presented for low bombarding energies are mainly concerned with the near sputtering threshold behaviour, yields and depth of origin of sputtered atoms. Furthermore, it is found, that in addition to sputtered atoms, a large number of ad-atoms at the surface are generated during the evolution of the collision cascade. At higher energies the question of cluster emission and especially their energy distribution and angular distribution are addressed. It was found that the energy distributions for the dimers and monomer atoms exhibit a similar dependence on emission energy as has been observed recently also experimentally. For atoms good agreement with the theoretical Sigmund-Thompson energy distribution was observed. However, for dimers we found that the energy distributions exhibit an asymptotic behaviour at high energies with E^?3 rather than with E^?5, as predicted in previous modelling of cluster emission. Concerning the angular distributions six emission spots, three strong ones in the <110> and three weak ones in the <100> direction were found for atoms, but for dimers only emission spots in the <110> direction were observed, in agreement with experimental results.     

Ionization probability of sputtered particles as a function of their energy: Part II. Positive Si ions

In this paper we represent the experimental ionization probability of sputtered silicon atoms as a function of their energy, which has been obtained for positive Si⁺ ions sputtered from silicon by O₂⁺ ion beam. To explain the experimental data, we have considered ionization of an outgoing atom at a critical distance from the surface, which occurs due to the electron transition between this atom and the surface, and suggested the formation of a local surface charge with the polarity opposite to that of the outgoing ion that has just been formed. Then we have considered the interaction between those two charges, outgoing ion, and surface charge as a process of the particle passage through a spherical potential barrier; as a result, we have obtained the theoretical energy distribution of secondary ions. Together with the well-known Sigmund-Thompson energy distribution of sputtered atoms, the obtained ion energy distribution allowed us to derive the equation for the secondary ion yield versus the sputtered particle energy. Both equations derived have exhibited a quite good correlation with our experimental results and also with a large number of published experimental data.     

Energieverteilungen bei der Festkörperzerstäubung durch Ionenbeschuß

The energy distributions of the neutral particles sputtered from polycrystalline targets of Al, Ti, Ni, Cu and Ag by normally incident Ar⁺-ions in the 1 keV region have been determined for ejection energies below 20 eV in a direction close to the normal to the target surface. The experimental method employed is strongly connected to the characteristic properties of a low pressure electrodeless hf plasma used as an effective ion source as well as an ionizing medium for the ejected target atoms. The resulting curves always show a maximum at most probable ejection energies between 1 and 5 eV, being approximately half of the surface binding energy. These curves are converted to the corresponding energy distributions for the recoil atoms within the target by an energy dependent factor. It is found that the energy distribution within the bombarded solid decreases monotonically with the inverse square of the energy of the recoils.     

Diffraction effects in the angular distribution of secondary electrons emitted under ionic bombardment of a (111) surface of silver: Experimental results and theoretical model

The angular distributions of secondary electrons emitted from a (111)Ag target, when bombarded by rare gas ions, are presented. A theoretical model based upon multiple scattering effects using the Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) formalism is proposed. The calculated curves are in good agreement with experimental results within the electron energy range we have investigated (10 < E < 100 eV).     

Enhanced production of fast multi-charged ions from plasmas formed at cleaned surface by femtosecond laser pulse

We present atomic, energy, and charge spectra of ions accelerated at the front surface of a silicon target irradiated by a high-contrast femtosecond laser pulse with an intensity of 3×10¹⁶ W/cm², which is delayed with respect to a cleaning nanosecond laser pulse of 3-J/cm² energy density. A tremendous increase in the number of fast silicon ions and a significant growth of their maximum charge in the case of the cleaned target from 5+ to 12+ have been observed. The main specific features of the atomic, energy, and charge spectra have been analyzed by means of one-dimensional hydrodynamic transient-ionization modeling. It is shown that fast highly charged silicon ions emerge from the hot plasma layer with a density a few times less than the solid one, and their charge distribution is not deteriorated during plasma expansion.This revised version was published online in August 2005 with a corrected cover date.     

Time-resolved and integrated angular distributions of plume ions from silver at low and medium laser fluence

Laser impact on metals in the UV regime results in a significant number of ablated plume ions even at moderate fluence (0.7–2.4 J/cm²). The ablated particles are largely neutrals at the lowest fluence, but the fraction of ions increases strongly with fluence. The ion flow in different directions from a silver target irradiated by a laser beam at a wavelength of 355 nm in vacuum was measured with a hemispherical array of Langmuir probes. The time-of-flight spectra in all directions, as well as the total angular yield were determined. The angular distribution peaks strongly in forward direction with increasing fluence and can be well approximated by Anisimov’s model. Typically, the spectra of silver ions peak from 70 eV up to 145 eV in a direction close to the normal of the target surface with increasing fluence. With increasing observation angle, the time-of-flight spectra exhibit a peak at longer flight times, i.e., at a lower kinetic energy. At the highest fluence, the ionized fraction of the ablated particles in the plume increases up to 0.5.     

Angular distribution of atoms sputtered from germanium by 1–20 keV Ar ions

The angular distribution of atoms sputtered from germanium under 1–20 keV Ar⁺ ion bombardment (normal incidence) has been studied experimentally and using computer simulations. A collector technique combined with Rutherford backscattering to analyze the distribution of collected material was used. In addition, the surface topography was under control. It was found that the experimental angular distribution of sputtered atoms (E ₀=3–10 keV) could be approximated by the function cos ⁿ θ with n≈ 1.65. Such a high value of n is connected with the surface scattering of ejected atoms and a noticeable contribution of backscattered ions to the formation of the sputter flux (the mass effect). The target surface was found to be practically flat even at ion fluencies ～10¹⁸ ions/cm². The results obtained are compared with data from the literature, including our recent data on Si sputtering.     

Low energy sputtering of neutral Cu2 molecules

The ratios of relative yields of neutral sputtered Cu₂ molecules to neutral sputtered Cu atoms were found to be linearly proportional to the sputtering yield of Cu, from a Cu target under bombardment by Ar⁺ ions (energy 50–90 eV), as determined by secondary neutral mass spectrometry.     

Comments on the physical significance of E1 values for excited sputtered atoms

Measurements of parameters associated with the emitted photons from a number of elements have indicated that the kinetic energies of sputtered excited atoms may be of the order of 10²–10³ eV. A recent result of Yu et al. [Phys. Rev. Letters 48 (1982) 427] is in contradiction to those results. We argue that the high energy values reported are the result of cascade repopulation of the upper level of the observed transition, distorting the experimental observations. Cascade corrections could reduce the energy values to the order of 10 eV, similar to the most probable energy of secondary ions.