Mev helium erosion of thin sulphur films

Abstract

Experimental results on erosion of thin sulphur layers at various temperatures (77–300 K) by MeV He beams are presented. We find a yield of Y=10.5 S-atoms/ion for samples at low temperatures (77 K) and Y∼10² to 10³ for samples at RT (300 K). We interpret the results at low temperatures as “true” erosion, i.e. related to the energy transfer from incoming ion to electronic excitations in the target atoms. The enormous yield measured at room temperature as well as those previously published for thick sulphur targets,^1,2 can be ascribed to beam-induced heating of the bombarded sulphur.