PHYSICAL SPUTTERING OF LOW-Z MATERIALS

A compilation of physical sputtering under deuterium bombardment is presented for various low-Z materials and compared with results from computer simulation. To evaluate the self-sputtering yield of these materials we performed carbon ion bombardment at a grazing angle. We also investigate the radiation enhanced sublimation of these materials in experiments at high temperatures up to 1850 K. Radiation-enhanced sublimation can be avoided in boron carbide up to 1700 K under deuterium ion bombardment, but not under carbon ion bombardment. This is interpreted as an effect of material modification of the surface layer due to carbon enrichment.