Isolated cluster ion impact on solid surfaces HOPG, Si and Cu(TiO 2)/Si surfaces

Abstract

Isolated CO 2 cluster ion impact on solid surfaces was investigated at the acceleration voltage of 40–60 kV on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, Si with native oxide layers, and Cu and TiO 2 films deposited on Si wafer respectively. At the low flux (10 7/cm 2 s) of isolated cluster ion beam impact, hillock was observed on solid surfaces of a few nm height and a few tens–hundreds nm in lateral dimension. After long irradiation on Si and Cu/Si, humping was more developed and consequently the surface seemed to be smoothed due to filling the gap between the hillocks. And prolonged irradiation of CO 2 clusters on Cu(TiO 2)/Si surfaces and modified surfaces was analyzed by atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy. The interaction of isolated cluster impact with solid surfaces and nm size embossment by cluster ion beam are discussed.