Properties of secondary particles for the reactive ion beam sputtering of Ti and TiO₂ using oxygen ions Available to Purchase

The ion beam sputtering of a metallic Ti and a ceramic TiO₂ target by bombardment with oxygen ions was investigated systematically. Emphasis was put on the properties of the secondary particles emitted from the target, namely, the angular distribution of the sputtered Ti and the energy distribution of the secondary ions. Ion energies of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 keV and incidence angles of 0°, 30°, and 60° were used. The angular distribution of the flux of sputtered Ti particles was determined by measuring the thickness of TiO₂ films that were deposited under emission angles in the range between −40° and +80°. An empirical formula was used to describe the angular distribution as a superposition of an isotropic and an anisotropic cosinelike function. Increasing the ion energy or decreasing the ion incidence angle leads to a more isotropic emission of the sputtered Ti particles. The mass and energy distribution of the secondary ions were measured using an energy-selective mass spectrometer. The most prevalent ion species are O⁺, O₂⁺, Ti⁺, and TiO⁺. Ion energy and sputtering geometry, i.e., the combination of an ion incidence angle and an emission angle, were found to have a strong influence on the energy distribution of the secondary ions.