Ion-induced atomic excitation in Vanadium

Light emission from pure vanadium in the presence and in the absence of oxygen under 5 keV Kr+ ions bombardment is studied. Neutral V I (318.3 nm) spectral line shows a transient at beam-off conditions. The transient curve follows the characteristic of an oxide sputtering. Sputtering yields of adsorbed oxygen on V are calculated using SRIM and SDTrimSP from the spectral line V I 318.3 nm line with the assumptions that a monolayer of oxygen is adsorbed on vanadium with its surface exposed to the oxygen flux and that negligible recoil implantation of oxygen in vanadium is taking place. The tendency of sputtering yields is supposed to be due to the overlapping of individual collision cascades generated in the interaction of various components of Kr+ projectile with the vanadium surface.