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Fractal and Non-Fractal Surfaces in Ion Sputtering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

A.-L. Barabási and
R. Cuerno
A.-L. Barabási
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46656
R. Cuerno
Affiliation:
Center for Polymer Studies and Dept. of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215
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Abstract

Recently a number of experimental studies focusing on the scaling properties of surfaces eroded by ion bombardment provided apparently contradictory results. A number of experiments report the observation of self-affine fractal surfaces, while others provide evidence about the development of a non-fractal periodic ripple structure. To explain these discrepancies, here we derive a stochastic nonlinear equation that describes the evolution and scaling properties of surfaces eroded by ion bombardment. The coefficients appearing in the equation can be calculated explicitly in terms of the physical parameters characterizing the sputtering process. We find that transitions may take place between various scaling behaviors when experimental parameters, such as the angle of incidence of the incoming ions or their average penetration depth, are varied.

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References

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