Sputtering of Al₂O₃ and LiNbO₃ in the electronic stopping region

Abstract

Because of recent interest in the role played by the thermal properties of materials that exhibit high energy sputtering, we have sputtered Al₂O₃ and LiNbO₃ with chlorine ions at energies between 3 MeV and 25 MeV. To detect the sputtered Al and Nb we employ thin carbon catcher foils, which are analyzed with Rutherford scattering in the forward direction. Al surface densities of 10¹⁴/cm² and Nb surface densities of 10^l3/cm² are easily measured. The sputtering yields for both Al₂O₃ and LiNbO₃ increase rapidly with increasing chlorine energy, and the Al and Nb yields are both approximately 0.2 at 20 MeV. Tests for dose, beam current, and contamination effects will be discussed.