The effect of crystal structure in sputtering of two-component single crystal targets

TL;DR

This study uses molecular dynamics simulations to explore how the crystal structure influences the selective sputtering of atoms from two-component single crystal targets, revealing a new effect related to lattice site nonidentity.

Contribution

It introduces the effect of lattice site nonidentity on selective sputtering in two-component single crystals, highlighting the role of crystal structure in sputtering behavior.

Findings

Atoms from vanadium lattice sites are preferentially sputtered under certain conditions.

The effect is due to the nonidentity of lattice sites affecting momentum propagation.

Structural factors significantly influence sputtering selectivity.

Abstract

In the present paper the forward sputtering of atoms of the components under ion bombardment of the single crystal VSi2 (0001) face is studied with the use of molecular dynamics computer simulations. Sputtering of atoms of the components under ion bombardment of the virtual single crystals VV2 and SiSi2 consisting of atoms of the same mass but located in the lattice sites of V and Si sublattices is calculated. The new effect in the selective sputtering of two-component targets is studied: atoms from the vanadium lattice sites are preferentially forward sputtered for equal masses and equal surface binding energies of atoms of the components. This effect one could name the effect of nonidentity of lattice sites of the components in the complex lattice of VSi2 (of the C40 type) to the propagation of momentum in collision cascades and thus the effect of structure in the selective sputtering of two-component single crystal targets. Key words: sputtering, transmission of ions, selective sputtering, transmission sputtering, two-component targets, VSi2, thin single-crystal films.