Light Ion Sputtering of Metals and Low Z Compounds as Studied with the Monte-Carlo Code Trim

Sputtering yields for light ions in the energy range of 0.1–10 keV (particles from fusion plasma) or 40–160 keV under oblique angles (from neutral beam injectors) are difficult to predict by analytic theories. In particular, the sputtering of first wall coatings with low Z compound materials, e.g. TiB₂, TiC, cannot be reliably treated in an analytic theory. For these reasons, a large number of cases were studied with the Monte-Carlo code TRIM over the past years. Numerous results were obtained for H, D, T, and He ions incident at various energies and angles on fusion first wall materials (metals and low Z compounds). In addition the sputtering yields as a function of incident energy and angle, and the angular and energy distributions of the sputtered atoms were investigated. Further studies were performed to gain more information on the mechanisms involved: sputtered atoms resulting from incident versus reflected ions, primary knock-on versus secondary knock-on atoms, atoms from the surface versus deeper layers of origin, etc. Experimental data, as far as available, will be compared with the TRIM results.