Study of low energy ion beam induced sputtering parameters of muscovite mica [KAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH)2] using Monte Carlo simulation

Naturally available Muscovite mica [KAl2(Si3Al)O10(OH)2] is an multi-elemental insulating 2D material for widely used in atomic force microscopy calibration, biological substrate deposition, electronic device material etc. The wide application and easy availability of mica with very low cost can be used to tailor different properties by modifying several or mono layer using sputtering of different constituent elements of mica with varying ion beam parameters. Since the ion beam technique is a versatile, precise, and controlled way, the modification of single or multiple layers is possible by choosing proper parameters. The modification of several layers of mica surface is basically the consequence of sputtering of different mica elements, which can be understood by the sputtering yield (Y) of mica elements. The trend of sputtering yield with ion incidence angle, projectile mass, and ion energy is studied here through Monte Carlo Simulation using Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM) freeware. The sputtering yield of potassium (K) atoms as well as mica is found to increase first with ion incidence angle and becomes maximum around 70° and 80° for 500 eV and 10 keV ion, respectively; then decreases for all the ions considered. The potassium (K) vacancy profile is calculated and found to be consistent with sputtering yield results. The sputtering yield of mica increases with increase of projectile ion mass and ion energy except for He+ ion, which is explained using ion penetration depth.