10-02-2012, 02:48 PM
Computer Simulation of Sputtering and Collision Cascades in Ionic Materials
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Sputtering
Definition
Sputtering is the removal of surface atoms due to energetic particle bombardment.
This is caused by collisions between the incoming particles and the atoms in the near surface layers of a solid.
Applications
Sputtering is not just an unwanted effect which destroys cathodes and contaminates plasmas.
It is used in many modern industrial processes including surface cleaning and etching, thin film deposition, surface and surface layer analysis.
MD Methodology
The electrostatic interactions were evaluated using a “brute force” method
The potential used was that of the Buckingham form as given by Catlow et al. ‡
This potential as given was not suitable for modelling collisional phenomena.
The Na+ - Cl- potential was hardened using a screened coulomb potential ‡‡ to overcome the over attractive forces for small separation.
