Projectile dependent sputter-erosion of oxygen-exposed molybdenum at different temperatures

Abstract The sputtering yield of molybdenum and angular distribution of sputtered molybdenum under oxygen exposure have been measured for D + - and He + -irradiation in the energy region from 2.5 keV to 6 keV at temperatures ranging from ambient room temperature to 640°C. The components of the sputtered particles from oxygen-exposed molybdenum have also been measured for 8 keV Ar + -irradiation at temperatures of 25°C and 485°C. The yields were determined from the weight loss of the targets and by the aid of the collector method which was applied to determine the angular emission distribution. Components of the sputtered particles were determined by means of the mass analysis of emitted neutral and charged particles. It was found that the oxygen exposure dependence of the yield strongly depends on the incident ions and on the temperature. The results are interpreted in terms of the chemical reactivity of the incident ions with oxygen, a dilution of metal atoms in the oxygen-exposed surface and a beam-induced desorption of Mo-oxide molecules.