Kinetic energy distribution of excited atoms created by sputtering copper with argon ions with energies of 6--15 keV

We have used the Doppler broadening of spectral lines emitted by sputtered atoms which leave the target in an excited state to obtain information on the energy distributions of excited sputtered particles. We have obtained the energy distribution of copper atoms which leave the target in the 4p2P0 excited state when a copper target is sputtered with argon ions with energies of 6, 10, and 15 keV. We show that the probability of a copper atom leaving the target in the 4p2P0 excited state may be described by the function E/sup n/, where E is the energy of the atom and 1.3<n<1.5