sputter ion gun
ion sputtering source, sputter gun, ion bombardment system
A sputter ion gun is used to prepare or modify a sample through ion bombardment. In this process, a focused beam of high-energy ions (usually consisting of noble gas ions such as argon, or other gases such as neon or oxygen) is directed at a fixed target.
The sputter ion gun generates ions (typically Ar+, but also other gases like oxygen or neon) using an electric field, which are then accelerated to high kinetic energies (ranging from a few hundred to several thousand electron volts). Their energy is sufficient to dislodge atoms from the surface of the target.
In this process, known as sputtering, surface layers of the material are gradually removed through a physical interaction between the incoming ions and the atoms of the target material.
The rate of material removal can be controlled by adjusting parameters such as ion energy, ion flux, and gas type.
Sputter ion guns are used in material analysis techniques such as Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS).
Ion bombardment can also be used to remove contaminants from surfaces. Additionally, sputter ion guns can be used in thin film deposition processes, where the ejected atoms condense on a substrate to form a thin film.