Determination of sputtered atom densities and velocities via simulation

Transport of sputtered atoms in a plasma sputtering unit is simulated using two known elastic collision models. The methods of studying the collision of two atoms are isotropic random scattering angle in the center of mass frame and the so-called center to center collision model in which the impact parameter is ignored and the two particles collide such as two material points. The obtained results for the density and velocity of sputtered atoms in both models are compared with some experimental reports. This investigation shows that the copper and argon atoms present pointlike behavior in the collision process.