Angular Distribution of Sputtered Potassium Atoms

Abstract

The angular distributions of potassium particles issuing from a potassium surface under bombardment by noble gas ions were observed under moderately good vacuum conditions. Sputtered potassium atoms were detected for incident ion energies above approximately 15 ev and useful observations of angular distributions were obtained for incident ion energies in the range 50 to 450 ev for all available values of the incident angle. A means was discovered for the discrimination between the total sputtered flux and that fraction of it possessing particle energies above a certain threshold. The apparatus and experimental procedures are described and the observed distribution patterns and a two-collision sputtering mechanism are discussed, along with related observations.