Molecular dynamics study of particle emission by reactive cluster ion impact

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of sputtering process with fluorine cluster impact onto silicon targets were performed. By iterating collisional simulations on a same target, accumulation of incident atoms and evolution of surface morphology were examined as well as emission process of precursors. When (F-2)(300) clusters were sequentially irradiated on Si(100) target at 6 keV of total incident energy, column-like surface structure covered with F atoms was formed. As the number of incident clusters increased, sputtering yield of Si atoms also increased because the target surface was well fluoridised to provide SiFx precursors. Size distribution of emitted particles showed that SiF2 was the major sputtered particle, but various types of silicon-fluoride compounds such like Si2Fx, Si(3)f(x) and very large molecules consists of 100 atoms were also observed. This size distribution and kinetic energy distribution of desorbed materials were studied, which showed that the sputtering mechanism with reactive cluster ions is similar to that under thermal equilibrium condition at high-temperature. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.