Sputter Yields of Carbon Materials under Xenon Ion Incidence

Abstract

We performed angle and energy dependent sputter yield measurements of various prospective carbon ion thruster grid materials under xenon ion incidence in the energy range 200–1 400 eV and at normal and oblique incidence up to 70°. Materials investigated are high-density graphite of various grain sizes, carbon–carbon material and pyrolytic graphite. No significant difference between the various carbon materials with respect to sputter yield was found.