Rotational and vibrational state population distributions in excited CH radicals sputtered from a chemisorption layer on silicon

Abstract

Using a computer-generated spectrum synthesis program, the upper state rotational and vibrational population distributions in the A 2Δ-X 2Π transition of the CH radical sputtered with 10 keV Kr + ions from an acetone chemisorption layer on silicon have been studied. Both the rotational and the vibrational populations can be adequately described by a Boltzmann distribution with a temperature near 4500 K. The significance of these results with respect to the local termodynamic equilibrium model of excited and ionized particle generation during sputtering is discussed.