Effect of sample rotation on surface roughness with keV C₆₀ bombardment in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) experiments

The simplicity of interpreting depth profiling in SIMS experiments is often limited by sample damage and surface roughness that accompany the ion bombardment process. Molecular dynamics simulations are implemented to obtain mechanistic insight into the improvement of depth profiles due to sample rotation during keV C₆₀ bombardment of solids. The simulations show that sample rotation decreases the RMS roughness of the sample compared to a single azimuthal angle of incidence, as observed by experiment. The improvement is most noticeable for near-grazing angles of incidence. Bombardment of the sample at these angles builds up an anisotropic topology which sample rotation at least partially removes.