Monte Carlo simulation of transport process of the sputtered species in the facing target sputtering technique

In facing target sputtering (FTS) technique two targets facing each other are sputtered simultaneously and the particles are collected in the off axis position. When these two targets constitute two different materials having different sputtering yields, the deposited films show a gradation in composition along the axis parallel to the targets. The process parameters involved, increase the complexity of understanding the composition profile of the deposited films. Here an attempt has been made to simulate the transport behavior of the sputtered species, which leads to the theoretical realization of the variation in composition. The simulation has been performed for SmCo system using the Monte Carlo approach based on the empirical formula proposed by Sigmund and Thompson. The theoretical results have been compared with the experimental results obtained and are explained in detail.