Sputterring and smoothing of metal surface with energetic gas cluster beams

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-1998

Abstract

Sputtering is a process of surface erosion by energetic ions. One of the remarkable effects of sputtering with cluster ions is surface smoothing. To understand its mechanism we have developed a computational model, which utilizes molecular dynamics (MD) to simulate rapid atomic collisions in the central impact zone, and a finite-difference method to account for processes occurring on a longer time scale over a wider target area. A case of gas cluster of a few hundred Ar atoms impacting a Cu target with energy up to 20 keV has been considered. The MD simulation has revealed that the atoms ejected from the surface have a significant lateral momentum component (parallel to the surface) which may have a major effect on surface morphology. Evolution of surface morphology under cluster ion irradiation was described by the modified Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation. Comparison of the simulations with experimental data shows qualitative agreement. © 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.

Identifier

0032118059 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Materials Chemistry and Physics

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0254-0584(98)00032-7

ISSN

02540584

First Page

234

Last Page

237

Issue

1-3

Volume

54

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