Precise sputtering of silicon dioxide by argon cluster ion beams

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2018-12, Vol.124 (12), p.1-6, Article 833
• Main Authors: Korobeishchikov, N. G., Nikolaev, I. V., Roenko, M. A., Atuchin, V. V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied physics; Argon; Binding energy; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Clusters; Condensed Matter Physics; Ion beams; Kinetic energy; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials science; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Silicon dioxide; Sputtering; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-018-2256-3

In this work, the sputtering yields of SiO 2 by the argon cluster ion beam with incident angles 0° and 45° have been studied experimentally. The kinetic energy of the primary cluster ions was in the range of E  = 5–23.5 keV, and the mean cluster size was N mean = 100–1000 atom/cluster. It is found that, when the energy per cluster atom quantity E / N is comparable to the binding energy of the solid (of the order of several eV), the yields of atoms sputtered per primary atom Y / N , at the incident angle 45°, is 4 times greater than at normal incidence. Conversely, when energy E / N is significantly above the binding energy of the solid (~ 100 eV), the sputtering yields for the incident angles 0° and 45° have the same values.