Sputtering Yields of Several Semiconducting Compounds under Argon Ion Bombardment

Sputtering yields of single crystals of SiC, InSb, GaAs, GaP, CdS, and PbTe under argon ion bombardment have been measured. The energy of the argon ions, obtained from a magnetically confined argon arc, ranged from 75 to 600 eV. The sputtering yields were determined from target weight losses measured by an in situ quartz spring microbalance. Yields at 500-eV argon ion energy ranged from 0.40 for SiC to 1.30 for PbTe.