Abstract: | The sputtering of clusters consisting of 13, 27, and 75 copper atoms from the (0001) graphite surface under bombardment by
Cu2 dimers with energies of 100, 200, and 400 eV has been simulated using the molecular dynamics method. A comparative analysis
of the distributions of backscattered particles and their energies over polar angles and the energy distributions of sputtered
atoms has been performed. The factors responsible for the large sputtering yield from surface clusters under their bombardment
with dimers as compared to copper and xenon monomers have been discussed. It has been demonstrated that, in the case of bombardment
with dimers, the substantial role in the sputtering of surface clusters is played by the overlap of collision cascades initiated
by each atom of the incident dimer. The differences in the sputtering under cluster and atom bombardments are especially pronounced
in the case of large surface clusters. |