Electronic excitation in sputtered atoms and the oxygen effect

摘要: Abstract Bombardment of surfaces by ions gives rise to a variety inelastic collision events leading the ejection excited atoms and ions. Such sputtered particles have been studied since more than 80 years through their optical emission, when they decay in front target electronic ground state, having lifetimes 10−9 10−7 s, typically. Information on energy distribution such states can be obtained two different techniques: light vs distance measurements (LvD) studying line profile broadening emission due Doppler effect. Only recently it has become possible study addition metastable using laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy (LIF). Relative sputtering yields distributions measured for types distinguished. States with very low excitation (0–0.3 eV), being sublevels were found comparable while at higher energies (above 1 eV) seem behave similar short lived states, typically observed secondary photon (BLE) range 2–6 eV. This behaviour is also clearly visible respect oxygen surface coverage or increased near concentration where, ion drastic changes yield orders magnitude as well In addition, under same conditions strong decrease neutral state number metals. LIF results highly are compared recent Ca, Al Cr targets. Different mechanisms that proposed account observations will discussed.