Irradiation effects on solid surfaces by water cluster ion beams

The interaction between a water cluster ion beam and the surface of a silicon substrate was investigated. The sputtering yield of silicon by a water cluster ion beam was approximately ten times larger than that by an argon monomer ion beam. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to analyze the silicon surface irradiated with a water cluster ion beam. The analysis revealed that the surface was oxidized, and the oxidation was saturated approximately at the dose of 1 × 1014 ions/cm2. The number of disordered atoms measured by the Rutherford backscattering also supported the result.