The phenomena produced by ion bombardment of the target material

The phenomena produced by ion bombardment of the target material:

1. Reflection of incident ions: The high-energy incident ions are not completely absorbed but are directly reflected back by the surface of the target material.

2. Neutral particle sputtering: During the bombardment of incident ions, the atoms in the target material may be knocked out, carrying away some of the kinetic energy. These knocked-out atoms are generally neutral, and this is the main source of sputtering for film formation.

3. Positive and negative ion emission: Due to intense collisions and secondary electron emission, the target material surface will be ionized. Some of the sputtered particles will carry an electric charge and leave the target surface as positive or negative ions.

4. Electron emission: When high-energy ions collide, they excite the electrons in the target material. Some electrons gain sufficient energy and escape the surface, which is the main source of secondary electron emission. In magnetron sputtering, secondary electrons help maintain the glow discharge.

5. Photon emission: High-energy particles bombardment may excite the electrons within the atoms, releasing photons (light emission).

6. Gas desorption: Gas molecules adsorbed on the surface or inside the target material are impacted, excited or heated during ion bombardment, and detach from the target material and enter the working vacuum, possibly introducing impurities and affecting the purity of the film.

7. Return of sputtered particles: Some sputtered particles in the vacuum will collide and lose energy before returning to the target surface.

8. Changes in target material surface morphology: Continuous ion bombardment will cause the target material surface to become rough, form grooves or small pits, and even lead to uneven surface morphology, which may affect the sputtering rate and the uniformity of the film.

9. Structural damage of the target material: Ion impact on the surface sputters atoms, and may also generate dislocations, vacancies, interstitial atoms and other lattice defects in the target material, causing irreversible damage to the target material structure.

10. Diffusion: High-energy particle bombardment will increase the local temperature, causing the target material atoms to undergo diffusion migration, affecting the lifespan of the target material.

11. Crystal changes: High-energy impact or local heating on the target material surface will cause lattice rearrangement, possibly leading to phase change, recrystallization or lattice distortion.

12. Heating (target material temperature rise): The energy generated by ion bombardment is partly converted into heat, causing local heating of the target material.

13. Ion implantation: Some incident ions do not rebound or sputter but are embedded in the target material.

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