ANGULAR-DISTRIBUTIONS OF SPUTTERED ATOMS FOR LOW-ENERGY HEAVY-IONS, MEDIUM IONS AND LIGHT-IONS

The angular distributions of sputtered atoms for the near-threshold sputtering of heavy ions, medium ions, and light ions have been investigated by a few-collision model and the ACAT computer simulation code. For heavy-ion sputtering the preferential angle of sputtered atoms is about 50 degree which is measured from the surface normal, while in the case of the near-threshold light-ion sputtering the preferential angles are nearly equal to the surface normal and do not depend on angle of incidence. It is found that the agreement between the ACAT preferential angles and theoretical values due to a few-collision model is very good.