Sputtering of lithiated and oxidated carbon surfaces by low-energy deuterium irradiation

Abstract We study sputtering of lithiated and oxidized amorphous carbon surfaces by deuterium impact in energy range 5–30 eV. Using classical molecular dynamics, we obtain the sputtering yield, the mass and energy spectra, as well as the angular distribution of ejected atoms and molecules of the surfaces saturated by accumulated deuterium impacts. Our results are compared with existing experimental and theoretical data for amorphous a-C:D surfaces, showing that presence of lithium reduces erosion of carbon, while oxygen further enhances this effect.