Sputtering of Silicon and Silicon Dioxide by Low-Energy Ions of Dense Nitrogen and Argon Plasma

Abstract

The results are presented from sputtering silicon and silicon dioxide with low-energy ions of argon and nitrogen plasma from induction high-frequency discharges. It is found that the rate of silicon sputtering with argon ions is 1.3 times faster than the rate of sputtering of its compounds. At the same time, upon bombarding the surfaces of samples with nitrogen ions, the rate of sputtering of silicon dioxide is twice as fast as the rate of sputtering of silicon. This effect can be explained by modification of the silicon’s surface, and by the existence of a mechanism of the chemical sputtering of silicon dioxide upon irradiating samples with nitrogen ions.