MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS OF SPUTTERING FROM LIQUID GA-IN TARGETS

We have used molecular dynamics (MD) simulation techniques to generate liquid Ga-In alloy targets, pure liquid gallium targets, and pure liq uid indium targets for use in sputtering simulations. The sputtering s imulations were carried out for normally incident 1.5 and 3.0 keV Arions. Yields, energy distributions, and angular distributions of the s puttered atoms were obtained, along with information on the depth of o rigin of ejected atoms. Some limited results on the ejection of small clusters from these targets also were obtained. Our results are in goo d agreement with the experimental sputtering data of Dumke et al., Sur f Sci. 124 (1983) 407 [1] and Hubbard et al., Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B 36 (1989) 395 [2] for these systems. The simulations support their ob servations [1,2] that most of the ejected atoms originate in the topmo st layer of the target.