Energy dependence of excitation in sputtering

Abstract

Bombardment of Si by 50-500 keV Ar + ions results in the emission of optical lines in the spectral range of the visible and vacuum ultraviolet. The authors present results of the measurements on the energy dependence of various lines emitted by sputtered atoms and ions. The results indicate that the photons are emitted by those atoms which are sputtered in a few collisions from the near-surface region.