Study of the Regularities of Low- and Super-Low-Energy High-intensity Metal Ion Beams Formation

Low energy, high intensity ion implantation provides the ability to form ion-doped layers in metals and alloys at depths of tens and hundreds of micrometers [1], [2]. Ultra-high-dose implantation of low-energy ions is accompanied by significant ion sputtering of the irradiated surface. At ion irradiation fluences exceeding 1021 ion/cm
₂
, the thickness of the ion-sputtered layer can exceed 100 μm. When sputtering the sample surface layer, both matrix material and implanted dopant are sputtered, which leads to a decrease in the efficiency of dopants accumulation and a decrease in the ion-doped layer depth. One of the solutions to the problem of significant ion surface sputtering can be based on high-intensity implantation at ultra-low ion energy, when ion sputtering is minimized and provides only dynamic cleaning of the irradiated surface from contamination with oxides and carbides. The paper presents the results of studying the laws governing the formation of high-intensity low and ultra-low energy beams of metal ions using plasma of a pulsed and continuous vacuum arc discharge. The features and regularities of the formation of beams with a single-grid extraction system and ballistic focusing of ions in the drift space are studied at bias potentials amplitudes from 50 to 2000 V. The influence of grid cell sizes from 100 to, preliminary plasma injection into the drift space and the “electron shower” on the transport efficiency and ballistic focusing of high-intensity beams of titanium ions of low and ultra-low energy is studied.