Ion-induced depletion of hydrogen from a soft carbonized layer

Abstract
Soft carbonized layers prepared in a glow discharge, with a hydrogen concentration of H:C∼4/3, are exposed to helium ion bombardment at energies between 0.3 and 2.6 MeV. A strong ion-induced depletion of up to 3×103 H atoms per incident 4He+ ion is observed by means of high-energy ion beam analysis. The hydrogen release is shown to be a local process, with the electronic energy deposition as the main responsible mechanism. The results are successfully compared to a model which takes into account local bond breaking and retrapping and the local formation of hydrogen molecules.