Velocities of Sputtered Atoms

Abstract

The average velocity of atoms sputtered from metal surfaces by normally incident ${\mathrm{Hg}}^{+}$-ions in a low pressure discharge was found to be unexpectedly high, corresponding to kinetic energies of the order of 10 to 30 ev.By sputtering atoms from a (110) surface of a fcc crystal, rather dense atomic beams ejected normal to the target surface can be obtained. The fact that the kinetic energies of the atoms are more than 100 times higher than thermal evaporation energies makes such a beam interesting.