Low energy (⩽ 100 eV) sputtering of thin molybdenum nitride films

Molybdenum nitride films formed by 100 eV N⁺₂ bombardment to saturation of polycrystalline Mo have been sputtered to high fluence by normally incident 100 eV Ar⁺ and He⁺ and 15 eV Ne⁺ while the surface nitrogen concentration was monitored by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The penetration distance of nitrogen atoms during film formation and subsequent sputtering is assumed to be small enough that AES will detect, to some degree, all of the nitrogen in the film. The nitrogen AES signal decays exponentially to unsputterable levels for the 15 eV Ne⁺ and 100 eV He⁺ cases and decays bi-exponentially to near the bulk contamination level for the 100 eV Ar⁺ case. The results are interpreted according to existing concepts, but the kinetics of nitrogen loss is modeled using a two-layer adaptation of the standard model for adsorbate monolayer sputtering kinetics. Fitting our proposed model to the data yields apparent cross-sections which are interpreted as composites of cross-sections for experimentally indistinguishable elementary processes; these elementary cross-sections for each process are geometrical averages on the polycrystalline surface. Processes considered, in addition to nitrogen sputtering, include bombardment-induced transport of nitrogen within the film and sputtering of the Mo lattice itself.     

Absolute measurement of sputtered ion fractions using matrix isolation spectroscopy

Sputtering yields for neutrals and ions have been measured by collecting the sputtered species in a noble gas matrix and determining their amounts from optical absorption spectroscopy. The atomic ion fractions for Ti and Zr bombarded by O₂⁺ at 2 keV are 0.8 and 0.4, respectively, whereas TiO and ZrO are sputtered largely as neutrals. Neutral sputtering yields from Ar⁺ bombardment arc consistent with previous measurements. The experimental results are compared with various theoretical models for the sputtering process.     

离子轰击引起的表面形貌对Ag的溅射产额的影响

用捕获膜技术和卢瑟福背散射(RBS)谱仪测定Ag靶在27keV Ar⁺离子轰击下的溅射原子角分布,从而确定不同剂量下Ag的溅射产额,并对其靶点表面形貌进行扫描电子显微镜(SEM)观察。结果发现,所有的角分布都呈over-cosine形状,但其溅射产额却随着表面形貌不同而不同。根据溅射产额Y与轰击离子入射角φ变化关系,讨论不同轰击剂量下溅射产额的差别,肯定了表面形貌是影响溅射产额的一个重要因素,并由此提出“表观产额”的新概念。 关键词：     

Experiments on the sputtering of neutral Cu2 dimers from Cu by Ar+ ions (60–300 eV)

A planar polycrystalline copper target was bombarded normally by Ar⁺ ions with energies ranging from 60 to 300 eV. in the source of a mass spectrometer. The neutral particles sputtered normally from the target were post-ionized and analyzed in the mass spectrometer. A thermionically sustained, magnetically confined low pressure arc plasma was used to supply the bombarding ions, and for post-ionization of the neutral sputtered species. It was found that the relative yields of the sputtered neutral post-ionized Cu₂ dimers are linearly proportional to S², where S is the total sputtering yield for Ar⁺ -Cu. The results support the recombination model for the formation of neutral dimers in sputtering.     

Investigation on surface compositions of CuNi alloy under Ar+ ion bombardment by ISS and in situ AES measurements

Surface compositions of CuNi(50 wt%) alloy under 3 keV Ar⁺ ion bombardment were measured by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and ion scattering spectroscopy (ISS). In situ AES measurement of sputter-deposited layer and sputtered sample surface indicated that surface composition became Ni-rich due to Ar⁺ ion sputtering at steady state, in accord with previous reports of preferential sputtering. ISS measurements with 3 keV Ar⁺ ions, however, have suggested that the composition of the outermost atom layer is not Ni-rich but slightly copperrich. This leads to the conclusion that the degree of preferential sputtering is small and that the question of preferential sputtering, particularly, the ratio of the sputtering yields, $\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Cu</mtext>}}\text{S}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>Ni</mtext>}}$, based on AES measurement requires further examination.     

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.     

Auger-spectrum simulation techniques for surface analysis of alloys with overlapping peaks: sputtered and annealed W—Mo alloys

The surface composition of a 50% W—Mo alloy has been investigated using Auger electron spectroscopy. Problems arising from carbon contamination and the strong overlap of the intense, surface-sensitive low-energy Auger peaks have been solved. Spectra for the alloy were collected digitally and could be simulated satisfactorily using pure-element spectra. The steady-state surface composition under 500 V Ar⁺ ion bombardment shows an enrichment of the surface in W, caused by preferential Mo sputtering. It is observed that the surface composition is uniform over the range of escape depths of the Auger electrons. This is consistent with enhanced diffusion and mixing over the penetration depth of the bombarding Ar⁺ ions. On annealing, the W-enriched sputtered surface becomes Mo-enriched, consistent with surface segregation of the more weakly bonded Mo atoms. However, in contrast with the sputtered surface, it is observed that a single simulation over the range of Auger-electron energies is not possible. The Mo enrichment indicated is largest for the 120 eV peak and decreases with increasing energy (escape depth), becoming a minimum at 220 eV. This is consistent with a monolayer segregation model, which is tested using published values for electron inelastic mean free paths. The calculated monolayer composition is x_Mo 0.94, in agreement with the predicted ideal-solution values of 0.98 ± 0.02 for different orientations.     

Al-50wt% Sn合金的离子溅射研究

用捕获膜技术和卢瑟福背散射(RBS)分析,测定Al-Sn多相合金在30keV Ar⁺离子轰击时Al和Sn的溅射原子角分布。溅射后的样品用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)进行观察,并用电子微探针分析仪(EPMA)对轰击样品(靶点)和未轰击样品作成分分析。结果表明,Al的溅射原子角分布近于cosine形状,而Sn却是over-cosine型角分布。本文给出一个按不同表面形貌特征划分的各元素富集区i进行叠加的产额表达式,Y(θ)=∑Y_i(θ),解释了实验结果。 关键词：     

Carbon sputtering yield measurements at grazing incidence

In this investigation, carbon sputtering yields were measured experimentally at varying angles of incidence under Xe⁺ bombardment. The measurements were obtained by etching a coated quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) with a low energy ion beam. The material properties of the carbon targets were characterized with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Raman spectroscopy. C sputtering yields measured under Ar⁺ and Xe⁺ bombardment at normal incidence displayed satisfactory agreement with previously published data over an energy range of 200 eV-1 keV. For Xe⁺ ions, the dependence of the yields on angle of incidence θ was determined for 0° ≤ θ ≤ 80°. Over this range, an increase in C sputtering yield by a factor of 4.8 was observed, with the peak in yield occurring at 70°. This is a much higher variation compared to Xe⁺ → Mo yields under similar conditions, a difference that may be attributed to higher scattering of the incident particles transverse to the beam direction than in the case of Xe⁺ → C. In addition, the variation of the yields with θ was not strongly energy dependent. Trapping of Xe in the surface was observed, in contrast to observations using the QCM technique with metallic target materials. Finally, target surface roughness was characterized using atomic force microscope measurements to distinguish between the effects of local and overall angle of incidence of the target.     

Study on the orientation of silver films by ion-beam assisted deposition

Low energy ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) was employed to prepare Ag films on Mo/Si (100) substrate. It was found that Ag films deposited by sputtering method without ion beam bombardment were preferred (111) orientation. When the depositing film was simultaneously bombardment by Ar⁺ beam perpendicular to the film surface at ion/atom arrival ratio of 0.18, the prepared films exhibited weak (111) and (200) mixed orientations. When the direction of Ar⁺ beam was off-normal direction of the film surface, Ag films showed highly preferred (111) orientation. Monte Carlo method was used to calculate the sputtering yields of Ar⁺ ions at various incident and azimuth angles. The effects of channeling and surface free energy on the crystallographic orientation of Ag films were discussed.     

BaF2晶体的取向和入射束的剂量对溅射的影响

２７ｋｅＶ Ａｒ^＋离子束沿法向分别入射在ＢａＦ₂单晶（１１１），（１００）和（１１０）的晶面上，用捕获器方法和Ｒｕｔｈｅｒｆｏｒｄ背散射分析法测定了Ｂａ原子的溅射角分布和溅射产额。结果发现不同取向的晶体表面，它们的溅射产额有明显差异。当用剂量为５×１０¹⁷ｉｏｎ／ｃｍ²的Ａｒ^＋离子分别轰击这三种晶面时，其溅射产额的顺序Ｙ_１００＞ｙ_１１１＞ｙ_１１０．对已被上述剂量辐照过的晶面再作相同剂量轰击时，测得的溅射产额明显增大。这些结果被认为是由于在离子辐照过程中表面晶格受损逐步增大所致。 关键词：     

Sputtering of Cu and Zn atoms from elemental and alloy targets

The energy distributions of Cu and Zn atoms sputtered from elements and Cu_xZn_1-x alloys (x=0.80, 0.24) with a 6 keV Ar⁺ beam have been measured. It was found that the collision-cascade theory properly described the flux of sputtered atoms. From the spectra the binding energies of Cu and Zn atoms in the elemental and alloy surfaces were determined. The collision-cascade theory and the experimentally adjusted values of the binding energies allowed for calculation of the total and partial sputtering yields, and the equilibrium surface composition of the ion bombarded alloys. This work was carried out as a part of Research Project M.R. I/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.     

A reversion of atomic segregation under ion bombardment of Nix Pdy alloys

The angular distribution of atoms sputtered from Ni_xPd_y alloys (x, y=1, 5) under 3 and 10 keV Ar⁺ ion bombardment has been studied experimentally and using computer simulations. A collector technique combined with RBS to analyze the distribution of collected material was used. It was found that the Pd/Ni yield ratio increases with the polar ejection angle θ for all targets excluding NiPd₅. This peculiarity of sputtering was explained by a reversion of atomic segregation at high initial concentrations of Pd atoms in the target.     

Atomic excitations in sputtering studied with group two element targets

Solid targets of Be, Mg, Zn, and Cd have been bombarded with 50 keV Ar⁺ ions. The relative excitation of the lowest-lying excited levels in sputtered neutrals and singly-charged ions have been measured using optical spectrometry. It is found that singly-charged ions are excited much more efficiently than neutral atoms. This is discussed, and it is concluded that atomic excitation in sputtering results from electron pick-up to excited states in initially ionized atoms rather than from inelastic atom-atom or electron-atom collisions.     

A comparison of radiation from sputtered atoms with radiation from projectiles scattered on oxidized magnesium at varying angle of incidence

The intensity of light emitted from sputtered atoms and neutralized, scattered primary ions, excited during 4 keV Ne⁺ and Ar⁺ bombardment of oxidized magnesium has been measured as a function of the incidence angle. It was found that the photon yield of sputtered atoms increases with the angle of incidence much more rapidly than the theoretical sputtering yield and the photon yield of scattered projectiles. In order to explain the experimental results a numerical approach was made based on the following assumptions: (1) the sputtered atom can be excited when it crosses the surface after getting the momentum from the collision cascade; (2) at oblique incidence the sputtered excited atom can be directly emitted after a gentle collision between the incident ion and the surface atom; (3) the neutralized primary ion can only be excited in a violent collision with the surface atom.     

Anisotropic angular distribution of sputtered atoms

The sputtering yield angular distributions have been calculated on the basis of the ion energy dependence of total sputtering yields for Ni and Mo targets bombarded by low-energy Hg⁺ ions. The calculated curves show excellent agreement with the corresponding Wehner's experimental results of sputtering yield angular distributions. This fact clearly demonstrates the intrinsic relation between the ion energy dependence of total sputtering yields and the sputtering yield angular distribution. This intrinsic relation had been ignored in Yamamura's papers [Yamamura, Y. (1982). Theory of sputtering and comparison to experimental data, Nucl. Instr. and Meth., 194, 515–522; Yamamura, Y. (1981). Contribution of anisotropic velocity distribution of recoil atoms to sputtering yields and angular distributions of sputtered atoms, Rad. Eff., 55, 49–55.] due to some obvious mistakes.     

Sputtering yields for light ions as a function of angle of incidence

The sputtering yield of Ni, Mo, and Au have been measured at oblique angles of incidence for H⁺-, D⁺-, and⁴He⁺-ion irradiation in the energy region from 1 to 8 keV. The yields were determined from the weight loss of the targets. For Ni and Mo the dependence of the sputtering yield on the angle of incidence was found to be much stronger for H⁺- and D⁺-ion than for⁴He⁺-ion irradiation. In all cases the maximum in the yield was found at angles of incidence ϑ≧80°, where ϑ is the angle measured from the surface normal. Furthermore the ratio of the maximum yield to the yeild at normal incidence increases with increasing surface binding energy of the target material as well as with increasing ion energy in the energy region inveestigated. The results are discussed qualitatively in view of a model for the sputtering mechanism for light ions.     

Ar的类氦和类锂离子与Mo表面相互作用过程中的x射线发射

在兰州重离子加速器国家实验室电子回旋共振离子源上用Si(Li)探测器观测到了不同动能的Ar¹⁵⁺和Ar¹⁶⁺离子与Mo表面相互作用过程产生的x射线.在不同动能 的Ar¹⁶⁺与Mo表面作用过程中不仅能观测到Ar的K层x射线而且能观测到Mo的L层x 射线.在不同动能的Ar¹⁵⁺入射下只能观测到Mo的L层x射线.实验结果表明，Ar的 K层x 射线的产额与入射离子的动能、作用过程中形成的空心原子携带的势能以及入射离子和靶原 子x射线的竞争等有关，Mo的L层x射线随入射离子动能的增加而增加. 关键词： x射线发射 高电荷态离子 Mo表面     

Preferential sputtering of TIC under keV Ar+ ion bombardment: Simultaneous sputtering-ISS measurement with He+ and Ar+ ions

The composition change of the outermost atom layer of TiC(110) under ion bombardment with 1.5–3 keV He⁺ and He⁺ + Ar⁺ ions has been measured by ion scattering spectroscopy with He⁺ ions at different sample temperatures. It has been found that the preferential sputtering of C atoms takes place for both the He⁺ and Ar⁺ ion bombardment, however the preferred sputtering is more pronounced for Ar⁺ ions than for He⁺ ions. The ion bombardment with He⁺ ions at elevated sample temperatures hardly results in any change in surface composition below ～800°C, while Ar⁺ ion bombardment results in C enrichment for elevated temperatures as reported so far.