Sputtering of Au by 45-keV ions for different fluences

Measurements are presented of absolute sputtering coefficients S for polycrystalline Au bombarded by 45-keV ions with Zion ranging from 2 to 79. Low-fluence results taken with chemically etched Au surfaces represent the first complete set of S values taken under the nearly ideal sputtering conditions of vanishingly small ion fluence and undamaged target surface. The results confirm unambiguously the smooth monotonic increase in S with Zion as predicted by sputtering theory. High-fluence results are also obtained which are representative of implanted-target surface conditions. These results exhibit the periodic variation of S with Zion as seen in past sputtering investigations.