Abstract
Past investigations of the erosion of surfaces under bombardment by energetic particles have mainly focused on the measurement of integral sputtering yields and the examination of surface structural changes by scanning electron microscopy. Both types of observations generally require the use of rather high particle doses (≳1015cm-2) and provide only indirect information on the primary sputtering mechanisms. For more direct information, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was applied to study the interaction of individual displacement cascades with surfaces in thin Au films. First results from low dose (1010 - 1012cm-2) Bismuth ion irradiation revealed the existence of small craters where cascades intersect a surface. In the present paper it will be shown that this surface crater formation strongly depends on cascade energy and cascade energy density. Also, details of the observed crater contrast will be discussed in view of its implications in regard to crater formation mechanisms.Thin Au films, prepared by vacuum evaporation, were bombarded with Bismuth ions.
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Schedule a callMore From: Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America
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