Mass Spectrometric Study of Sputtering of KB by Low-Energy Ar+ and Xe+ Ions

A KBr target was bombarded normally with Ar+ and Xe+ ions, with energies ranging from 25 to 180 eV, in the source of a mass spectrometer capable of detecting neutral and negative sputtered species. A relatively strong signal of Br− ions sputtered from the target was detected, and relative sputtering yield curves were obtained. The yield was greater for Ar+ than for Xe+ ion bombardment at all ion energies. No neutral K0 or Br0 atoms, nor KBr0 molecules, were detected as having been sputtered from the target during bombardment.