Surfactant Sputtering - Investigation of fundamental processes

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A novel sputter erosion technique, which was newly developed by the applicant and Dr. K. Zhang and recently filed as patent application, shall be investigated regarding the fundamental processes and the application potential. This sputter technique utilizes a steady state coverage of a surface with foreign- or self atoms (surfactants = surface active agents) with an area density up to 1016 atoms/cm2, which is achieved by simultaneous ion irradiation and deposition of atoms onto a substrate. The coverage with surfactants can be laterally varied in a controlled manner. The surfactants cause a dramatic reduction of the substrate sputtering yield on atomic up to macroscopic length scales. Depending on the surfactant-substrate combination, a homogeneous surface coverage, island or cluster formation, attachment to surface defects, or the formation of surface-near compounds or alloys may arise. As a consequence, either smoothing of the surface or the formation of a variety of novel surface patterns, or controlled shaping of surfaces due lateral gradients of the surfactant coverage is possible. The dynamic processes responsible for smoothing, surface pattern formation, generation of ultrathin surfactant films and shaping of surfaces due to anisotropic ion beam erosion shall be investigated.