I. A mechanical spectrometer for analysing the energy distribution of sputtered atoms of copper or gold

Abstract

Abstract A time-of-flight technique was used to determine the energy spectrum of atoms ejected by ion bombardment from a metal target. The ion beam was pulsed in synchronism with a magnetically suspended rotor, spinning at speeds up to 3000 rev. sec−1. The flight path of 50 cm between target and rotor was sufficient to obtain a dispersed deposit of atoms on the rim of the rotor for all atom energies up to about 10 kev. The deposit was detected with auto-radiography by means of its radioactivity, the Cu or Au targets having been previously activated by irradiation with thermal neutrons.