Study of atomic excitations in sputtering with the use of Mg, Al, Ca, and Cd targets

Solid targets of Mg, Al, Ca, and Cd have been bombarded with 80-keV ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+}$ ions. Photon emission from sputtered particles has been measured and converted to relative level populations. The experimental results are discussed in terms of a set of basic considerations outlined for atomic excitations in sputtering processes.