Classical molecular dynamic simulation of (111) Si and Al surface sputtering under bombardment by polyatomic clusters

The self-sputtering processes of (111) Si and Al surfaces under bombardment by Si _N and Al _N ions and clusters (N = 1−60) with the same energy per particle-projectile atom (1 keV/atom) are studied in this paper. The nonlinear effects produced in the target during the development stage of an atomic-collision cascade and during the postcascade stage are analyzed, and a correlation between these effects and secondary emission characteristics is found. The study has been carried out in the framework of classical molecular dynamics. As a result, a number of features of (111) Si and Al surface sputtering and erosion have been revealed. Thus, it has been established that the sputtering yield increases nonadditively as the size N of the implanted cluster increases at N > 10, which is related to the appearance of nonlinear cascades and the postcascade heat spike, and is accompanied by microcrater formation. It is shown that the implantation of clusters into the Si target leads to the formation of amorphous regions.