Variation in plutonium dioxide sputter yields for 1-5 keV Ar(+)ions

An oxide layer with a known thickness and chemistry was grown on delta stabilized Pu and sputtered with 1-5 keV Ar(+)ions over a range of incident ion angle between 22 degrees and 72 degrees. From the time required to remove the oxide layer, sputter yields of PuO(2)were calculated. The sputter yields appear to increase with higher Ar(+)ion beam energy in the range of 1-5 keV at an incident sputter ion angle of 42 degrees and were found to increase with a decreasing angle of incidence up to 62 degrees. The degree of oxide reduction induced during the sputter process was found to vary with the incident sputter ion angle.