A continuum model is developed to describe surface evolution of Si (100) during normal incidence ion sputtering with Fe incorporation. The model integrates curvature dependent erosion (CDE), ballistic smoothing and ion-enhanced viscous flow (IVF) as the surface processes during ion sputtering without Fe. And it integrates surface stress and preferential sputtering as the effects of Fe incorporation. According to our model, in the presence of Fe, the surface stress induced instability together with CDE overcomes ballistic smoothing, leading to dot pattern formation in morphology. In addition, preferential sputtering, cooperating with the morphological instability, accomplishes the patterning in composition. The simulations based on this model qualitatively reproduce Fe motivated ion patterning and the surface evolution of pre-patterned Si (100) during post-sputtering.

Jing Zhou*, Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
Ming Lu, Department of Optical Science and Engineering, Fudan University, Shanghai, China, China

*presenting author