Low energy sputter yields for diamond, carbon-carbon composite, and molybdenum subject to xenon ion bombardment

Sputter yields have been measured for polycrystalline diamond, single crystal diamond, a carbon-carbon composite, and molybdenum subject to xenon ion bombardment. The tests were performed using a 3-cm Kaufman ion source to produce incident ions with energy in the range of 150-750 eV and a profilometry-based technique to measure the amount of sputtered material. The yields increased monotonically with energy with values ranging from 0.16 at 150 eV to 0.80 at 750 eV for the molybdenum and 0.06 to 0.14 for the carbon-carbon. At 150 eV the yield for both diamond samples was 0.07 and at 750 eV 0.19 and 0.17 for the CVD and single crystal diamond, respectively. A number of experimental factors affecting sputter yield measurements using this technique are described. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.