Sputtering of UF_4 by high energy heavy ions

The sputtering of UF_4 targets by energetic beams of ^(16)O, ^(19)F, and ^(35)Cl ions has been investigated for beam energies in the range 0.12 to 1.5 MeV/amu. The sputtering yields, which follow the same trend as the electronic part of the projectile energy loss in the material, are observed to have a strong dependence on the charge state of the incident ions. Data have been taken both in transmission and reflection (0° and 180° to the incident beam direction, respectively). Energy spectra of the neutral sputtered particles have been obtained for 5 MeV 19F ions and for 13 MeV ^(35)Cl ions; in both cases the spectrum has a Maxwellian form. The data obtained are compared with several models of the high energy sputtering process.