The surface microtopography induced by ion bombardment on Cu single crystals

The (110), (100) and (111) Cu single crystal planes have been bombarded at normal incidence by Ar+ ions in the energy range from 10 to 100 keV. The dependence of induced microrelief on crystal orientation, ion energy, total ion dose and target preparation before bombardment has been investigated. The crystal orientation was found to be the most marked parameter which influences the development of the surface microtopography on single crystal samples. Crystal orientation determines the symmetry of the microrelief figures created on the surface which remains preserved on the samples with the same orientation and is independent of the change of other parameters. Surface relief features appear firstly on the places which are damaged by the small pieces of diamond polishing compound imprinted in the softer Cu surface. The energy of the incident ion beam influences the sharpness of the induced relief topography forms and the total ion dose, on the magnitude and number of forms. On well polished and very clean single crystal samples the surface relief structure appears in accordance with the model of Hermanne and Art, and satisfies the necessary conditions for the appearance of the damage-induced surface topography calculated by Hermanne. (Auth.)