SPUTTERING OF SO2 BY HIGH-ENERGY IONS

Sputtering yields of solid SO//2 by high energy ions were measured in order to study the mechanism for sputtering dielectrics with ions in the electronic stopping power region. The incident ions were helium and fluorine with energies ranging from 1. 5 MeV to 25 MeV. Yields as high as 7000 SO//2 molecules/incident F ion were measured. Measurements and calculations of this sort are also useful in understanding processes which occur on the surface of Jupiter's satellite Io, which is covered with SO//2 frost and bombarded by energetic ions trapped in the Jovian magnetosphere.