Sputtering

The removal of surface atoms due

to energetic particle bombardment

Sputtering

Sputtering

First observations
of cathode erosion in
gas discharges
W.R. Grove 1853

Sputtering
Removal of surface material as a result of energetic particle bombardment.

First observations: W.R. Grove 1853, J.P. Gassiot and M. Faraday 1854,
1858. J. Plcker 1858. Useful for thin film coating?
First systematic studies: W. Crookes 1891, G. Granquist 1897. Independent
of target temperature.
J. Stark 1908, 1909. Hot spots? Binary elastic collisions?
Cosine emission distribution R. Seeliger 1935. Rules out the collision theory?
Crystal structure effects, G.K. Wehner 1956. Collisions back in. Sputtering
yields always decrease at high energy : 1/E.
Linear collision cascades, relation to nuclear stopping power, J. Lindhard et
al. 1963, J. Davies et al. 1960-64. P. Sigmund 1967-69.
BCA Monte Carlo, MARLOWE, TRIM. M.T. Robinson 1974, J. Biersack and
J.F. Ziegler 1974
Applications in semiconductor industry, coating industry, surface analysis,
fusion plasma physics and and space physics

Sputter deposition

DC- and RF sputter deposition is a convenient and inexpensive coating

Technique.

Sputter deposition

Magnetron sputter deposition is very widely used and allows low pressure
discharge, high coating quality and fast deposition

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS)

Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS)

JET divertor

1999-2001

1998-2004
Elemental mapping by static SIMS

J.P. Coad et al.

J. Nucl. Mater
363-365(2007)

Sputtering
Sputtering yield
atoms removed
Y ( E , )
incident particle
Differential sputtering yields
Y
Y
,
,Yq ,Y Yq
E1
1
q

105 Y 103

Sputtering yield measurements

Sputtering yield measurements

Sputtering yield measurements

Yield energy dependence.

Ejection angle distribution,

B. Emmoth, H. Bergsker et al 1989, 1990

Sputtering

Velocity distribution of sputtered atoms, measured by laser induced fluoresence.

W. Husinsky et al. 1986

Sputtering

Energy distribution of sputtered

Tungsten atoms and tungsten
clusters.
G. Staudenmaier 1984

Crystal structure effect in Sputtering

Single crystal effects in sputtering, G. K. Wehner, Phys. Rev. 102(1956)690-704

Non linear Sputtering yield with heavy ions

Non linear sputtering yield,

evidence of spikes . H.H. Andersen and H. Bay 1974

Three different regimes for theory

Single knock-on regime

Linear cascade regime

Spike regime

Nuclear stopping power

Electronic stopping power

Results from linear cascade theory

The linear cascade regime theory got its semi-final form from
P. Sigmund, 1969

3
3
v
G (r , v , v0 , t ) Nv K (v ; v ', v '')d v ' d v '' G G ' G ''
t

d ( E , T ) Cm E mT 1 m dT ,0 m 1
F ( E , E0 ) : m ( E ) / E02
1 m
2Y
E1
FD ( E , , 0) m
cos 1
3 2 m
E11
4 NCm ( E1 U 0 )

Monte Carlo calculations

TRIM , J.P. Biersack and W. Eckstein 1984

MARLOWE

Monte Carlo calculations

Molecular dynamics, C. Erginsoy et al 1964

Monte Carlo calculations

TRIM

A simple plasma impurity model

dN H
NH
in
H
dt

dN Z
NZ
in
Z
dt

out
inZ YHZ out

H
ZZ
Z
d
j , 0
dt

H YHZ

YHZ
Z
,

1 YZZ
1 YZZ
in
j

out
j

Sputtering in fusion devices

Sputtering in fusion devices

Impurity fluxes in TEXTOR

I. Gudowska, H. Bergsker et al.

J. Nucl. Mater. 176-177(1990)363

Conclusions
Sputtering by particle bombartment has been observed
since 150 years. Apart from being a nuisance in many
technical systems it also has a wide range of useful
applications.
Physical sputtering is well understood today, especially
in the linear cascade regime. Monte-Carlo methods are
very useful in the single-knockon regime and with special
boundary conditions.
Physical sputtering is a central physical phenomenon in
fusion devices. For plasma modeling Monte Carlo codes
and semi-empirical fits are used and give satisfactory
results.