Sputtering of Silver by Light Ions with Energies from 2 to 12 kev

Abstract

Electromagnetically analyzed ionic beams from a radio-frequency source were used to study the sputtering yield S (atoms per ion) for light ions normally incident on silver targets at energies from 2 to 12 kev. The yields displayed broad maxima with energy in the range studied. At 5 kev the following values of S were found: H+, 0.035; D+, 0.090; H2+, 0.077; D2+, 0.21; H3+, 0.11; D3+, 0.33; He+, 0.48; N+, 4.0; O+, 4.4; Ne+, 5.5. The angular distribution of sputtered silver followed a cosine dependence about the normal to the target surface even when the beam hit the target at oblique incidence.