Abstract

A portion of the flux of sputtered particles produced during ion bombardment of a solid surface consists of molecular fragments. These sputtered molecules are of particular interest because they provide a unique probe of the dynamics of the sputtering process. In addition to center of mass motion away from the surface, the molecular fragments exhibit relative motion of the constituent atoms, e.g. rotations and vibrations. Concurrent measurement of the distribution of energy in these internal modes together with the center of mass kinetic energy enables critical evaluation of sputtering mechanisms.

© 1985 Optical Society of America