Simulation of copper clusters ion sputtering from graphite single crystal surface

The molecular-dynamic simulation of sputtering the clusters, consisting of 13 and 75 Cu atoms, from the graphite (0001) surface through the Ar ions with the energy of 200 eV, is carried out. The angular distributions of the copper sputtered atoms, their energies and sputtering coefficients values are discussed. The existence of at least two mechanisms of the clusters sputtering is established. One mechanism is a typically cascade-recoil one, leading to the atoms sputtering, primarily with the low and average energies (up to 8 eV). The other mechanism is a high-energy one, leading to sputtering the atoms with the energies up to 30 eV by large polar angles. Significant role thereby is played by the interaction of the Cu sputtered atoms with the sublayer surface atoms