Investigation of the high temperature erosion of nickel under 5 keV neon irradiation

The erosion behaviour of Ni has been investigated in the temperature range up to 1500 K under 5 keV Ne ion irradiation at a flux density of ≈1.5 × 1019 Ne/m2s. The amount and velocity distribution of thermally or ion released Ni-atoms (mass 58) has been determined by means of time of flight analysis in a differentially pumped line of sight mass spectrometer. It was found that the amount of physically sputtered atoms was constant within the experimental accuracy in the investigated temperature range. Also, no noticeable enhancement of thermally emitted particles exceeding the normal evaporation fluxes could be detected in this temperature range within the accuracy of the measurement. The accuracy amounts to about 5% of the thermally evaporated atom flux, determined mainly by the temperature stability of the target with and without ion irradiation.