Angular distributions of sputtered zirconium atoms

Ion beams with energies in the range 1–2 keV are used to sputter neutral Zr atoms from a polycrystalline surface. Laser induced fluorescence detection is used to obtain angular distributions of sputtered neutrals as a function of ion impact direction, ion mass, ion energy, and spin–orbit state of the exiting atoms. About 40% of the sputtered atoms are excited. Angular distributions depend weakly on ion mass and energy. The angular distributions are fitted well by a modified form of the Roosendaal and Saunders model of sputtering.