Low-Energy Sputtering Yields of Ge Single Crystals as a Function of Temperature

Abstract

The temperature dependence of the relative sputtering yields of Ge (100), (110), and (111) surfaces for various kinds of noble gas bombarding ions, bombarding ion energies, and bombarding ion fluxes has been investigated. Instantaneous relative yields were obtained by using the spectroscopic emission technique. The dependence of the annealing temperature on the bombarding ion energy and flux can be interpreted in terms of a simplified model where the rate of defect production equals the rate of defect annealing at the annealing temperature. The width of the transition region increases with decreasing bombarding ion energy and mass.