Computer simulation of low-energy sputtering in the binary collision approximation

Abstract

The sputtering of amorphous Cu targets by low-energy atoms has been investigated in the binary collision approximation using the computer program MARLOWE. Particular attention was given to the influence of the surface binding model on the results. Calculations were made of the dependence of the sputtering yield on the incident particle direction, energy, and mass. Angular-, energy-, and yield-distributions of the ejected atoms were evaluated. Comparisons with experimental results on polycrystalline targets show that the planar surface binding model is to be preferred over the isotropic surface binding model, especially with regard to the angular- and energy-distributions. Calculated yields are in reasonable agreement with experiment at energies below about 1 keV, but deviate at higher energies, apparently because of crystal correlation effects that are neglected in the amorphous model.