Sputtering Yields of Single Crystals Bombarded by 1- to 10-keV Ar+ Ions

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Abstract
The sputtering yield S, in atoms/ion, has been measured for Cu and Ag single crystals bombarded at normal incidence by 1‐ to 10‐keV Ar+ ions. Yields of the three low‐index planes (110), (100), and (111) for Cu and Ag crystals were measured as well as that of a Cu (311) plane. In addition a yield curve of a Cu (100) crystal bombarded in a [111] direction was measured. The yields were obtained by a weight loss method using ion beam techniques. The yields are strongly dependent on crystalline orientation showing a steep rise with energy, a maximum, which appears at an energy depending on the plane being bombarded, and a slow decrease with ion energy above the maximum. A simple theory is presented which accounts reasonably well for the energy dependence of the sputtering yield in terms of crystalline opacity and the momentum of the incident ion.